Eddie Smith, one of the original artists behind Halo's iconic Forerunner aesthetic and who also helped provide concept work for 343 Industries. He recently sat down with FRVR for an interview to discuss the use of AI. During the conversation, he explained how overreliance on the technology can create more problems than it solves, something he has witnessed firsthand on productions that incorporated generative AI.

Smith described his experience working on the Las Vegas Sphere version of The Wizard of Oz, a project that utilized AI tools. According to Smith, the team quickly realized they couldn't rely on generative AI in the way they initially expected. He states:

“When they started it, of course, they thought the AI would do a lot of it, and they realised, no, the AI is really, it just does what you teach it to do. I look at AI almost like a toddler, an extremely advanced toddler, who’s just learned how to talk and obey standard instructions. But they’re still a really small child and they constantly have to be reinforced and read.”

The interview then shifted toward the gaming industry, where Smith argued that developers placing too much faith in AI are in for a "rude awakening." He goes on to state:

“Unless you know what you’re doing, AI is not going to help you, all the problems that people have had in games and the reasons why they don’t finish games, AI is not going to solve that. AI is going to help you not finish games even more. If you’re the type of art director who doesn’t know what they want, you still won’t know what you want.”

I'm inclined to agree with Smith here. I believe the human touch is what makes art, and creative works in general, feel meaningful and distinct. While I don't think AI is something we can realistically avoid, and I can see it becoming a legitimate tool in some workplaces, I'm still hesitant about adopting it in any significant way outside of playfully turning myself and my friends into anime characters on the odd occasion, but perhaps that’s just me.

Smith had more to say on the subject, and I think his perspective is worth hearing, or reading rather:

“The AI cannot be precise to what the production needs. Your artistic decisions have to be precisely calibrated for the gameplay loop. What is the game design? What is your gameplay? If it’s not going into the gameplay, don’t put it there. AI doesn’t know that. It couldn’t possibly know that. You could even feed, you could somehow tell the AI your entire gameplay design. It’s still not going to get it.”

It’s also only fair to share Smith’s upcoming novel, Godspeed, so do go check that out! And with those words from Smith and me promoting his work, I'll pass it over to you. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Do you agree, disagree, or perhaps fall somewhere in the middle when it comes to AI's role in game development?

As always, be sure to leave a comment and take part in our poll above.

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We've just gotten our first look at even more of Halo: Campaign Evolved, and boy, do we have a lot to go over. Halo Studios has revealed that the game will feature 42 skulls to discover, with three hidden in each mission, alongside an all-new Campaign Remix mode.

That's a lot to unpack, so let's dive into everything shown in the latest trailer and find out exactly what Halo Studios means when it says you'll be able to play "Halo your way."

If you're not familiar with skulls, they're hidden collectibles that have been part of Halo since Halo 2. Scattered throughout the campaign, they act as gameplay modifiers, ranging from fun visual effects to major gameplay changes that can completely alter how you experience the game.

Some of these modifiers will be familiar to longtime Halo fans, such as Grunt Birthday Party, which causes confetti to burst from Grunts when you land a headshot. Others are entirely new, including a skull that lets players experience the campaign from a third-person perspective.

To give you an idea of what Halo: Campaign Evolved has in store, here are the skulls and modifiers shown in the trailer:

• Grunt Birthday Party (Triggers a celebratory explosion when landing headshots on Grunts.)
• Bandana (Provides infinite ammo, battery charge, and removes magazine limitations.)
• Acrophobia (Allows players to fly and explore freely.)
• Perspective (Switches the game into a third-person camera view.)
• Adaptation (Randomizes enemy factions and encounters throughout a level.)
• Speed Limit (Disables sprint.)
• Armistice (Prevents the Flood and Covenant from fighting each other.)
• Stowed Reload (Enables backpack reloading, allowing weapons to reload while stowed.)
• Magnified (Restores the MA5B's classic 60-round magazine and appears to increase its fire rate.)
• Floor Is Lava (Damages players whenever they touch the ground.)

There's plenty more skulls to discover, of course, but these were the ones that stood out to me the most. What's particularly interesting is that skulls don't just modify gameplay anymore.

Some of them can also dramatically alter the visual presentation of a mission. One example shown off was a modifier that blankets entire levels in Flood fog, giving familiar environments a much darker and eerier atmosphere. It's the sort of change that can make even a level you've played dozens of times feel fresh again.

That naturally leads into Campaign Remix, which appears to be Halo: Campaign Evolved's answer to replayability. Rather than manually selecting skulls yourself, Campaign Remix automatically applies a variety of gameplay and visual modifiers to create a completely different experience each time you play.

According to Halo Studios, Remix Mode can combine multiple skulls and modifiers at once, resulting in random combinations to give you something different each time you play. Whether that's fighting randomized enemy factions, navigating levels under different conditions, or experiencing missions with entirely different visual styles, Campaign Remix looks designed to encourage players to keep coming back long after they've finished the campaign for the first time.

Honestly, Halo: Campaign Evolved is shaping up really nicely, and everything we've seen so far has left me excited to get my hands on the full game later this year. Between the huge number of skulls, the visual modifiers, and Campaign Remix, it feels like Halo Studios is putting a real emphasis on replayability this time around.

Of course, we've only seen a small slice of what the game has to offer, but it's certainly left me wanting more. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, and be sure to take part in our poll below:

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In a recent interview with popular Halo content creator Mint Blitz, former Bungie level and mission designer Niles Sankey, who worked at Bungie from 2006 to 2015 and also served as Lead Mission Designer for Halo: Reach, had some rather strong words about the current state of the Halo franchise.

First, though, before we dive into all of that, I do recommend giving the full 50-plus-minute interview a watch.

It goes into some genuinely fascinating details about original plans for Halo: Reach, alongside behind-the-scenes insight into Halo 3’s missions that fans like myself will probably love hearing about. So, with that said, let’s jump right in.

Jumping straight into the nitty gritty here, Sankey was asked what he would do if given free rein to do as he pleases with Halo. In response, Sankey said:

Expanding, he continued:

“Microsoft has this great opportunity where they own the Halo franchise and they have this great opportunity to spin up a separate team to just build Halo titles that look like they were built from that era, from the Halo 3 era of gaming”

Honestly, given the current reported ongoings at Halo Studios, I’m all for this. I’ve personally always thought it was a shame that the Halo IP isn’t, at the very least, leased out to other studios to create new and interesting experiences.

Sankey goes on to lament just how expensive modern game development has become, arguing that as studios expand, they often lose the culture that made them successful in the first place. He also reflected on Halo: Campaign Evolved and some of the challenges that come with modernizing older Halo experiences, stating:

“You end up stepping all over the games that the fans like and then you have these unsolvable problems of should we have sprint or should we not have sprint or we need to make it look awesome but it's going to piss off part of the fans because the Forerunner structures are too clean”

To that end, Sankey believes the solution is fairly straightforward: “The obvious answer here is no, roll back to the 2007 era graphics and do it as a separate team.”

I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on this because, personally, I’d be more than happy with a new Halo game using graphics in the same style as Halo 3 or even Halo: Reach again.

To me, and I imagine many others, Halo was never really about graphics. It was always about the gameplay, sandbox, social features, story, and everything else that made those games special beyond simply “wow, game pretty.”

But those are just my thoughts. Let me know yours in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll below:

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In a report from Mr. Rebs (also known as Rebs Gaming), we now have some new details regarding Halo Infinite’s multiplayer story, which was unfolding before eventually being canceled in June 2023.

According to Mr. Rebs, the cancellation was largely due to layoffs at then 343 Industries, now known as Halo Studios — although for simplicity’s sake, I’ll continue referring to the studio as 343 Industries throughout this report. For additional context, Project Tatanka was reportedly Halo’s attempt at a Battle Royale experience before later evolving into more of an extraction shooter project.

Its current status remains unclear, although previous reports have suggested the project was either heavily reworked internally or canceled altogether, and according to Mr. Rebs, Halo Infinite’s multiplayer narrative was originally intended to help bridge players toward Project Tatanka.

In his report, Mr. Rebs states that Halo Infinite’s multiplayer story was originally intended to sort of mirror what we got with Spartan Ops in Halo 4, but with a more narratively cohesive structure that would also introduce characters from the wider Halo universe.

He also claims future multiplayer maps would have featured narrative context tied directly to these cutscenes, helping further develop Halo Infinite’s ongoing story.

However, these plans were ultimately scrapped after Halo Infinite’s Season 2 cutscenes were released, with layoffs throughout 2023 reportedly having a major impact on the internal teams responsible for creating these narrative scenes.

According to the report, the sound team and other cinematic-related teams were heavily affected during these layoffs, leaving 343 Industries without enough staff to continue supporting the multiplayer narrative cutscenes.

Mr. Rebs also teased that the multiplayer narrative was building toward “something playable,” although exactly what that was remains a mystery. What was clarified, however, is that it reportedly was not playable Elites, something many Halo fans, myself included, had long hoped would eventually come to Infinite.

I’ve said many times just how big a Halo fan I am, and I genuinely believe Halo Infinite was 343’s best attempt at a Halo gam. In fact, they even released a new update to Infinite recently, which is good fun, and you should check it out!

Still, it's such a shame to hear how things reportedly unfolded this way for a title that was originally intended to last an entire decade, and with that said, I’d love to know your thoughts.

Did you enjoy Halo Infinite’s multiplayer story, or are you glad 343 Industries shifted focus elsewhere?

Let me know in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll below:

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In another report from Mr. Rebs released on Monday, we got insight into what 343 Industries, now Halo Studios, had planned for Halo Infinite. As with any report like this, it’s worth mentioning that this information is based on sources and is not officially confirmed by Halo Studios or Microsoft.

After covering Project Eker, a potential extraction shooter or solo multiplayer project, Mr. Rebs said he could not confirm the full details at the time.

However, he has since found a former senior animator who described work on an Unreal Engine-based multiplayer project that was already playable as early as last year. The extraction shooter itself, though, has seemingly been canceled, according to a former developer.

Moving onto what Mr. Rebs reports regarding the original plans for Halo Infinite, he states that in 2022, then creative head Joseph Staten held a company-wide Microsoft Teams meeting.

During this, Staten outlined plans for the next Halo campaign and showed off concept art that included Forerunner structures in snowy environments, a lava biome similar to Mustafar from Star Wars, and a brute skiff among large trees.

Mr. Rebs also claims that a Halo Infinite sequel was in development in 2022. Alongside this, he states that plans included a Banished Scarab and characters from the Halo books.

He also claims Halo Infinite was intended to act as a central hub for future Halo games. I must admit, hearing this is I am quite surprised given how rough Halo Infinite’s menus were at launch.

Following the launch of Halo Infinite, 343 Industries reportedly faced mass attrition, with a wave of developers leaving the studio in a relatively short period of time.

At the same time, Microsoft reportedly implemented a hiring freeze ahead of the January 2023 layoffs.

According to Mr. Rebs, this left the team significantly understaffed during a critical post-launch window. As a result, support for Halo Infinite slowed, and the flow of new content dropped off.

It also helps explain why updates during that period were so limited, despite expectations for ongoing live service support. This likely wasn’t helped by a reliance on contract workers, something Bloomberg reported on over four years ago.

Interestingly, Mr. Rebs also claims that internal discussions had already begun around bringing Halo to PlayStation during this timeframe.

This report does explain a lot, and I’d urge people to watch the full video and give Mr. Rebs a follow on both X and YouTube.

I’d also love to hear your thoughts on Halo Infinite and this report. If what Mr. Rebs said is true, it offers an interesting look into the game’s development.

Make sure to let me know in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll!

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In the latest report from Mr Rebs, who I’ve covered quite a bit recently, we’ve got some new details on Halo’s battle royale, what it became, and what may have happened next.

As always, it’s worth taking this with a grain of salt. Nothing here is officially confirmed, but Mr Rebs has a fairly solid track record, so with that in mind, let’s dive in.

In Mr Rebs’ latest report, he details Tatanka, a codename that was believed to be a battle royale mode tied to Halo Infinite and its multiplayer story narrative.

According to the report, the project was actually a separate experience developed by Certain Affinity and 343 Industries (now Halo Studios), built using Halo’s Slipspace engine, which is now no longer in use.

The mode would have featured maps based on classics like Blood Gulch and Valhalla, with players dropping in via drop pods.

However, the project was ultimately dropped as the battle royale wasn’t working and the space became increasingly oversaturated. Rebs also states that while some elements worked well, the overall concept did not fully land with developers.

Development was paused in 2022, before the project evolved into Project Eker and moved over to Unreal Engine, something Halo is already transitioning toward with efforts like Project Foundry and Halo: Campaign Evolved.

Project Eker, according to Rebs, was a PvE extraction shooter, with the last confirmed development status dating back to 2023.

Its current status remains unclear, with conflicting reports. Some suggest Eker is now a solo Halo multiplayer project, while others believe it has been folded into the next mainline Halo title, which I assume would be Halo 7.

That’s all the report covers for now, but it does raise some interesting possibilities. Personally, I’d be open to a Halo extraction shooter, especially if, like ARC Raiders, it leans more into the social side of the experience.

That said, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Would you be interested in a standalone Halo multiplayer project, or would you rather see the next multiplayer experience tied directly to a single-player campaign?

Let me know in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Recently, I covered the news that Glenn Israel, a former developer at Halo Studios with over 17 years of experience dating back to Halo 3: ODST, had left the company. In that report, I outlined Glenn’s claims of serious misconduct, which Microsoft partially addressed, simply stating, "We don’t publicly discuss individual employee issues."

Now, a new report from Rebs Gaming has gone further, working to investigate and corroborate several of those allegations. I do highly recommend you read the original before we dive further into details, but Glenn's comments are quite scathing, detailing favoritism, cronyism, and more.

Alongside this, another former employee, Tyler Davis, has claimed leadership had “done us lot dirty,” reinforcing broader concerns around how staff were treated.

In the latest report, we also see a direct message from Glenn Israel dating to before his departure in late 2025, which reads:

Further claims around hiring practices have also been raised. Glenn states that three of the art leadership roles in question were the only externally posted positions between June 2024 and June 2025, and claims all three were filled by former associates, with a possible fourth following the same pattern. He suggests this reflects not just coincidence, but a broader hiring approach.

Glenn has commented on Mr. Rebs’ latest video, confirming these hiring concerns were part of his original complaints, stating:

The report also details how the Halo Digsite team was treated, something that is well documented. This group, made up of community modders responsible for restoring the Halo 2 E3 demo, disbanded after Halo Studios refused to pay staff.

One member of the Digsite team said: “Pierre told us we could leave the team since unlike him, we weren't born with a gun pointed at our head, meaning we wouldn't understand real stakes and consequences”.

There’s more in the full report from Mr. Rebs, so do give the full video a watch, and make sure you give them a follow on both X and YouTube!

I'm hoping Microsoft can step in and steady things ahead of Halo: Campaign Evolved. However, as things stand, though, it’s exhausting seeing the same kinds of issues come up again and again, and honestly, it’s just sad.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter, and how you currently feel about Halo, so make sure to leave us a comment and take part in our poll below:

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Former Halo Studios art director Glenn Israel has taken to LinkedIn, alleging serious misconduct involving Halo Studios and Microsoft. In his claims, Israel says senior representatives engaged in unethical and or unlawful acts, including blacklisting, fraud, favoritism, and cronyism (the act of appointing friends), as well as multiple harassment campaigns aimed at forcing out unwanted employees.

For those unaware, Glen Israel joined Bungie back in 2008 to work on Halo 3: ODST, also working on Halo: Reach before joining 343 Industries when it was formed.

There is a lot to unpack across Israel’s two-part LinkedIn post, so I will outline all the key claims made. This comes around five months after his departure, which had already raised concerns online.

Breaking down the allegations in Israel’s LinkedIn posts

In the two-part LinkedIn post, Glenn Israel claims the incidents took place between January 2024 and June 2025, with his departure following in October 2025. He states he either witnessed or was directly subjected to alleged misconduct during this period, involving senior Halo Studios representatives.

Alongside the allegations of unethical and or unlawful acts, Israel says he filed complaints with Microsoft HR in June 2025. He claims that after submitting documented complaints, a Global Employee Relations (GER) representative “threatened retaliation on first contact” and said further investigations would be shut down. He also alleges that complaints escalated internally were later reported as “closed” despite being returned as “out of scope.”

Israel also describes a four-day period of alleged harassment in July 2025, which he says was intended to create grounds for termination. He adds that HR leadership and compliance teams were aware but, according to him, “failed to take any appropriate disruptive action.”

He further claims that in August 2025, Halo: Campaign Evolved was experiencing what he describes as "catastrophic mismanagement" by senior Halo Studios representatives. During this time, he says the art team from his unannounced project was reassigned, and his role was labeled “redundant.”

Israel also details additional incidents between September and October 2025, where he claims groups such as GER failed to act. He says a director initially agreed to investigate retaliation but later excluded earlier complaints and related incidents, and further alleges that key witnesses were not interviewed during the process. He also claims Microsoft “openly violated RCW 49.12.250” and has not met its penalty obligation.

Since the original allegations, other former Halo developers have come forward to defend Israel's claims, suggesting this is definitely not some former disgruntled employee.

Going on, Israel further alleges that Microsoft’s HR structure is deliberately “compartmentalized to obfuscate responsibility and create plausible deniability.”

I’m honestly at a loss for words here. The mismanagement of Halo under 343 Industries has been well documented, and hearing that these issues may still be ongoing is concerning.

Israel’s claims point to a level of misconduct that is difficult to ignore, and if accurate, raise serious questions about how situations like this are handled internally.

With new leadership at Xbox under Asha Sharma, there could be increased scrutiny across studios. Ideally, that leads to better oversight and helps prevent situations like this from happening again.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Recently, I covered a report from Mr. Rebs, also known as Rebs Gaming, detailing that Halo: Campaign Evolved is being co-developed by Abstraction, a studio that previously worked on Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Baldur’s Gate 3, Mass Effect, and more.

Now, in a follow-up report, Mr. Rebs has shared more details on how Halo Studios, formerly 343 Industries, is approaching outsourcing, what that strategy looks like, and what the studio is still developing in-house.

In the latest follow-up on Abstraction as co-developers for Halo: Campaign Evolved, Mr. Rebs has shared more details on how Halo Studios is handling outsourcing.

As outlined in the earlier report, Abstraction is responsible for major parts of development in Halo: Campaign Evolved, including:

• Concept design for missions
• Level blockout and layout creation
• Polishing and finalizing mission content
• Creating scripted events
• Retuning combat and gameplay
• Adapting gameplay for new mechanics like sprint
• Supporting features such as four player co-op

For context on how Halo Studios is approaching this, it’s important to look at Pierre Hintze, who joined in 2017 while the studio was still known as 343 Industries.

Hintze was involved during the turnaround of Halo: The Master Chief Collection and is often credited for the game’s recovery. However, according to former developers, that effort relied heavily on external partners, with the publishing team overseeing development, leading some to question how much credit Hintze is given.

In September 2022, Hintze became head of studio, and according to the report, this is when that publishing-led approach began shaping wider development decisions, with a stronger focus on working with external partners.

Since then, Hintze appears to have brought a similar approach to the wider studio, with Halo Studios acting more like a publisher in some instances rather than handling all development internally.

It is worth mentioning that Halo Studios is still heavily involved in Halo: Campaign Evolved and continues to handle key areas of development, including:

• User interface design and engineering
• Online services like co-op and voice chat
• Cinematics, led by Josh Daniels

It is worth noting that these details come from two developers’ LinkedIn pages, and Halo Studios itself is likely to be more heavily involved than what is outlined here.

That said, if Mr. Rebs’ report is accurate, the outsourcing at Halo Studios appears to be a deliberate strategy driven by leadership direction rather than necessity.

Of course, this information wouldn't be available without the reporting of Mr. Rebs, so check for more on X and YouTube.

🗨️ What do you think of Halo Studios approach to outsourcing?

Personally, I’m in two minds about it. I want to see Halo succeed in whatever way possible because it’s my favorite franchise, but outsourcing and relying on contractors is something the series has struggled with before, and it can cause issues during development.

With all that said, I’d rather take a glass-half-full approach and hope for the best.

Enough about my thoughts, though. Let me know what you think about how Halo Studios is handling development of Campaign Evolved in the comments, and by taking part in our poll below:

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

There are some odd happenings right now for the iconic Halo franchise, as a longtime art director has left developer Halo Studios with an ominous statement.

Glenn Israel, who worked as an artist on numerous games such as Halo 3: ODST, Halo 4, Destiny, Halo 5: Guardians, and Halo Infinite across Bungie and later, 343 Industries (the former name for Halo Studios) shared on LinkedIn that he was leaving the team.
"As of today and after seventeen long years, I am officially no longer contributing to the Halo universe. There is little more I can say for the moment, though I intend to share this particular story in its entirety when it is absolutely safe to do so next year. In the meantime, I have a message for anyone and everyone who needs to hear it," Israel writes.

"I know that the state of our industry seems dire, but never forget that you are *free to choose*. No illusion of security nor promise of wealth or fame or power is worth trading away your health, your dignity, your ethics or values - and no one can force you to. Stay strong, take evidence when necessary, and find where you belong."

This also comes as Halo-focused YouTuber Rebs Gaming put out a new video, in which he claims sources have told him of leadership problems at Halo Studios.

While developers shift and leave jobs for myriad reasons, this is certainly eyebrow-raising. At the same time, it's just the statement of one person, leaving out of hundreds that are still at the studio. We'll have to wait to find out more.

Halo Studios has been through a huge shake-up over the last several years, beyond the name, with changes in leadership and significant layoffs back in 2023.

Halo stands at a pivotal moment

This also comes at a time when players are waiting to hear more about the world of Halo. While Halo Infinite is still receiving updates, the frequency and size of many of these updates have died down, and the fanbase is looking to hear more about the future.

To that end, Halo Studios has strongly indicated players won't be waiting for much longer. In 2024, the team revealed its rebrand away from 343 Industries, unveiling the new name alongside a tech demo called Project Foundry.

Project Foundry was built in Unreal Engine 5, showing reimagined assets and characters from Halo: Combat Evolved, updated with modern visual fidelity. Halo Studios also confirmed at the time that, in addition to switching to Unreal Engine 5, it was working on multiple new games, though there weren't any other details shared.

Earlier in 2025, Halo Studios teased that there would be an announcement worth tuning in for at the Halo World Championship on October 24 through 26.

"Speculation is always fun, but if you want the official scoop on what Halo Studios has been working on, you won’t want to miss this year’s Halo World Championship. We really hope you’ll join us in Seattle this October!" the team wrote.

Personally, I remain curious about the projects (plural) aspect of Halo Studios. While speculation and reports have indicated some kind of remaster could be on the way — something that's strongly aided by the direction of Project Foundry — I can't help but wonder about what else the team is working on.

One of the biggest Xbox announcements of 2024 came on Sunday evening when, during the Halo World Championship 2024 esports event, Halo developer 343 Industries announced a rebrand to "Halo Studios" and a shift to Unreal Engine 5 — sunsetting the Slipspace Engine the studio built for 2021's Halo Infinite. Shortly afterward, it was confirmed that all future Halo games will be built on Epic Games' tech stack, and that it's already being used as the foundation for multiple projects in active development.

The news was delivered in a seven-minute long studio update trailer the developers labelled "A New Dawn," in which various members of the Halo Studios team presented Project Foundry — a tech demo built internally to showcase what many of Halo's classic designs and environments might look like in an Unreal Engine 5 game. What has me truly happy about this switch, though, aren't pretty graphics; instead, it's the stated goal of helping "the team focus on making games, versus making the tools and the engines."

In an interview on Xbox Wire, various leads from Halo Studios zeroed in on the fact that "some components of Slipspace are almost 25 years old," and that there was a need for "a large portion of its staff simply to develop and upkeep the engine" — confirming much of what was said about Slipspace in a report last year. With the move to Epic's far more modern engine, developers hope to reorganize their resources and streamline their creation process, ultimately addressing "how long it takes for us to update the game, bring new content to players, [and] adapt to what we’re seeing our players want."

Reading those words has given me the first bit of optimism I've felt for Xbox's flagship franchise in a long time, as I'd argue the biggest reason why Halo Infinite failed to generate long-term player interest is because it was bereft of an adequate content suite for well over a year. Compared to previous Halo releases that launched feature-complete and gave fans plenty of ways to play out of the gate, Halo Infinite's paltry collection of playlists were frustratingly meager, and even beloved modes like Infection, Firefight, and the critically important mapmaking tool Forge didn't come until late 2022 or beyond.

It's my hope that with Unreal Engine 5, Halo Studios will be able to develop future experiences far more efficiently, hopefully ensuring that we're never left with another Halo 5: Guardians or Halo Infinite situation where a Halo game releases with scant offerings and only gets a full content spread months or years later. I'm also looking forward to seeing how "aspects of Unreal" that "would have taken huge amounts of time and resources to try and replicate" in Slipspace, such as the engine's impressive rendering and lighting tech, will influence future iterations of Halo's worlds.

One thing I'm definitely iffy about in the wake of Halo Infinite's rocky development is the studio's decision to start working on multiple projects, but again, the Unreal shift — along with multiple recent leadership changes — gives me a reason to temper my skepticism. The use "of the industry-leading engine" should certainly make onboarding new developers, growing the team, and hiring contractors for outside help easier (Halo Studios has multiple positions open), though just last year, it was hit particularly hard by Microsoft layoffs. 

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At the end of the day, we won't know whether this "new dawn" for Halo pays off until the fruits of Halo Studios' labor is actually in our hands, and since "a new Halo game isn’t imminent," that won't happen for a long time. With that said, I think a big shakeup and a major overhaul to the way it's developed is something Halo sorely needs, and I'm glad it's getting that.

Whatever's next for the legendary sci-fi property will be playable through Xbox Game Pass, as all of Microsoft's first-party releases are. Halo Infinite's single player campaign is accessible through the all-you-can-eat subscription service now, as is the  Master Chief Collection that bundles all of the pre-Xbox One Halo games in one modernized package.

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What you need to know

• During the Halo World Championship 2024, Xbox Game Studios' Halo developer 343 Industries shared a big studio update.
• Studio head Pierre Hintze shared that the team is officially moving to Unreal Engine 5, with an internal tech demo called Project Foundry exploring what Halo looks and feels like in the new engine.
• 343 Industries is also rebranding to Halo Studios, with the team ramping up hiring for multiple projects.

There's a big shift coming for Master Chief and company. 

During the Halo World Championship 2024, 343 Industries studio head Pierre Hintze shared some big news for the team, revealing that 343 Industries is rebranding. The team is now being referred to as Halo Studios, with company ramping up hiring for multiple Halo projects. 

Additionally, the Halo franchise is officially moving to Unreal Engine 5, confirming a change first reported over a year ago. You can take a look at the studio's update video below, which shows off Project Foundry, an internal tech demo designed to test bringing Halo to Unreal Engine 5:

"The original Halo franchise was a graphics showcase. It was best-in-class. That's what Halo was when it first was released, and that's what Halo needs to be again," explains lead artist Daniel Henley.

As part of this work, the team at now-Halo Studios is looking to hire across multiple disciplines for multiple Halo games. Work is still early in many respects, and the studio's most recent game, Halo Infinite, will still getting updates and new Operations for the foreseeable future.

“You asked why we consider this as a new chapter,” says Hintze, speaking an interview with Xbox Wire. “We want a singular focus. Everyone is in this place is here to make the best possible Halo games.”

Also speaking to Xbox Wire, art director Chris Matthews notes that portions of the Slipspace engine were decades old. As a result, there are aspects of Unreal Engine 5 that are easily accessible that would've been extremely difficult to recreate using Slipspace.

“Halo is such an incredible franchise and it’s awesome to see Halo Studios already pushing the boundaries of Unreal Engine 5,” said Bill Clifford, vice president and general manager of Unreal Engine at Epic Games. “We’re honored to support the Halo team in realizing their creative visions through Unreal Engine. Project Foundry’s work demonstrates how they can bring Halo to life with beautifully detailed, uncompromised worlds.”

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What you need to know

• Halo Infinite multiplayer first launched back in November 2021, with the campaign following in December.
• Since then, the game has received a number of new modes, maps, and quality-of-life features, like the Match Composer added earlier in 2024.
• Developer 343 Industries shared that Halo Infinite is getting a third-person mode in November 2024.
• This mode will allow players to adjust their camera, playing Halo Infinite like a third-person shooter.

There's a big change coming for one of gaming's biggest names in first-person shooters.

Halo Infinite is getting a third-person mode, as shared by Xbox Game Studios developer 343 Industries on Friday. This comes as the Halo World Championship 2024 series is kicking off. You can see some work-in-progress footage of the mode below:

Right now, it's not clear exactly what the mode entails, if this will be available as a toggle, or even if it'll be available in the campaign mode or if it's being constrained to multiplayer. All of the footage shown in the work-in-progress video is from the multiplayer, but time will tell.

There's no exact release date for when the third-person mode is coming to Halo Infinite, but 343 Industries notes that it can be expected at some point in November 2024.

Earlier in the year, Xbox head of consumer products John Friend noted in an interview that the team has plans for celebrating some big anniversaries of Xbox-owned franchises, including the 25th anniversary of Halo. Nov. 9, 2024 also marks the upcoming 20th anniversary of Halo 2, an original Xbox title that helped catapult the franchise into becoming a household name. 

Personally, I'm looking forward to testing this third-person mode out. Options are cool, even though it'll never be the primary way that I play Halo. The mainline franchise is a first-person shooter, but if the developers can have a pleasant third-person option as well, I won't object, especially considering the games already shift to a third-person perspective when in vehicles or using turrets.

Halo Infinite is one of the best Xbox games available, and the multiplayer is currently available as a free-to-play game across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC, while the campaign is paid and included in Xbox Game Pass.

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What you need to know

• Halo is one of Microsoft's longest-running game franchises, and has played a huge role in the success of its Xbox gaming divisions since both Halo: Combat Evolved and the first Xbox console launched in 2001.
• Since its inception, Halo as grossed over $6 billion, with that number potentially as high as $10 billion according to details on a Microsoft LinkedIn profile.
• However, in a new article, Xbox head of consumer products John Friend has stated that nearly $2 billion of its consumer spend hasn't even come from the video games.
• Specifically, $1.8 billion has come from Halo merchandise and multimedia, including its many different toys, collectibles, apparel items, novels, comics, and more.
• Friend's comments also suggest that Microsoft may license newly acquired franchises like World of Warcraft and Diablo in similar ways, though he stressed that the firm will evaluate properties on a case-by-case basis to determine the best approaches.

When you think of Microsoft's massive sci-fi franchise Halo, I'm willing to bet that all the incredibly successful Xbox games from the past 20+ years come to mind. After all, the original Halo: Combat Evolved is responsible for putting Xbox on the map when it launched alongside Microsoft's first console in late 2001, and its many sequels (both mainline entries and spinoffs) have continued to be some of the biggest first-party titles offered to players across the Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S generations. Indeed, if Xbox has a flagship series, it's Halo — even if it hasn't really felt like one in the wake of the rocky performance of Halo Infinite.

With history and popularity like that, it's not terribly surprising that Halo has made over $6 billion (and possibly even $10 billion, according to the LinkedIn profile of Microsoft senior business manager Lillian Lehmann) and has become one of the largest gaming franchises ever since its inception. What did give me pause, though, is that a huge $1.8 billion chunk of its consumer spend hasn't even come from the video games at all. Instead, it's flowed in from purchases of Halo merchandise, including the series' apparel items, toys, collectibles, novels, graphic novels, comics, and films.

This news comes from an article published as part of the September issue of License Global magazine, in which Xbox's head of consumer products John Friend discusses Microsoft's "brand licensing strategies connecting iconic video game franchises with the world’s most diverse fan base." Friend points out that for smaller properties like Obsidian Entertainment's 2022 adventure game Pentiment, the firm has to be more selective with licensing opportunities. With something as big as Halo, though, Microsoft and Xbox can — and have — gone significantly further.

"I often use the phrase ‘no matching luggage,' meaning that it’s important to assess a franchise and a community based on who they are and what that franchise is and make sure that you’re designing a program that’s additive to fans and building fandom, both for that group and for that franchise," Friend explains. "We have an incredibly broad and exciting portfolio to work with, but we’ve got to be smart."

In Halo's case, it's clear that — perhaps with the exception of the controversial, now-cancelled Paramount TV show — efforts to capitalize on its global popularity with extensive amounts of multimedia have been very fruitful. Its always-expanding library of dozens of novels have been widely enjoyed by fans interested in stories told from beyond the Master Chief's perspective, and there have been countless Halo action figures, LEGO-style Mega model kits, tabletop board game editions, clothing lines, and more developed and sold over the years as well. A substantial amount of additional merchandise like this is likely to release in 2026, as Microsoft is preparing to celebrate the 25th anniversary of both Xbox and Halo in that year.

"We have these massive, fantastic franchises ranging from World of Warcraft –celebrating its 20th anniversary this year — to Halo, Call of Duty, to StarCraft and much more,” Friend said. "We’re building plans for the 25th anniversary of Halo and Xbox — we have such a rich heritage and history, and these communities have been active for so long, you have to celebrate that."

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Halo is now just one small part of Microsoft's growing and evolving Xbox plans, but the company's successes when licensing it to various partners does suggest it will adopt a similar approach with other big-name franchises like Doom, Fallout, Diablo, and World of Warcraft — all series it now owns as a result of recent high-level acquisitions. Notably, the article confirms that the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will get a Fashion UK apparel and accessories line this fall, a limited edition Zombies-inspired YooTooz figure line this fall and next spring, themed KontrolFreek Performance Thumbsticks and Thumbgrips for game controllers, and a wave of peripherals from Corsair as part of a multi-year partnership between Call of Duty and Corsair. Friend's comments also suggest there's a desire at Xbox to expand into AR and VR and create "immersive events and experiences," though I'm doubtful we'll see much (if anything) come from that since these technologies have continuously failed to reach mainstream popularity.

What I know for sure, however, is that Microsoft and Xbox will continue to evaluate each of its properties on a case-by-case basis and license them when and where it's appropriate. Friend makes this clear: "I think it’s important to make sure we’re smart about our focus and understand our distinct and diverse portfolios. The strategy and approach will not always be the same for every franchise ... the same for every studio. That means we must be open to being thoughtful and thinking that what works for World of Warcraft may not work for StarCraft or Diablo. We have a lot of flexibility and just listen to fans to understand how to be additive to their experience.”

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This piece largely focused on the multimedia beyond games for Halo and other big Microsoft franchises, but if you've never played the titles that made them globally popular in the first place, Xbox Game Pass is a cost-effective way to do so. Access to the vast majority of the firm's first-party games and all of its console exclusives across Xbox and PC is included with a subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, with PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Standard also options for PC and Xbox players, respectively.

What you need to know

• Halo Infinite's latest Operation, Fleetcom, is now available, bringing a new pass for players to complete. 
• Operation: Fleetcom is restoring the ability to grenade jump, a mainstay of the Halo franchise. 
• The Headhunter mode from Halo: Reach is also being added at a later point during the Operation.

More iconic modes are coming back from across Halo's history. 

Halo Infinite Operation: Fleetcom is now live, bringing a new pass for players to complete with new cosmetics to unlock. As detailed on Halo Waypoint, this Operation is also introducing some changes to rewards, with players earning Spartan Points for every match they play. Spartan Points were introduced earlier in the year, and can be spent on a rotation of returning cosmetics in the Exchange.

While it's not available right at launch, this Operation will also see the return of the Headhunter mode. First introduced back in Halo: Reach, Headhunter tasks players with gathering skulls from defeated enemies, with a player's skulls dropping all around them if they fall in combat. There's no word on exactly when Headhunter will be available except that it's coming "soon."

Halo Infinite weapon balance notes

In addition to the impending arrival of Headhunter, several weapons and vehicles have been tweaked, with a balance pass that's intended to make things more competitive while also restoring one big ability that's been sorely missed by a number of players: Grenade jumping! Thanks to this change, you can again use carefully-timed grenades to propel yourself up. You can see the full balance pass below:

• Disruptor
  • Damage-over-time feature returns.
  • 8 shots to kill (2 supercombines).
• MA40 Assault Rifle
  • Adjusted error angles to give a more consistent feel, improving the Assault Rifle’s reliability.
• Ravager
  • Increased damage output—now five shots to kill instead of six. (Get ready to paint the battlefield with incendiary plasma!)
• M41 SPNKR
  • Improved damage fall off for better consistency.
  • Slight reduction in outer damage radius.
  • Increased maximum ammo reserves (from 6 to 8).
• M392 Bandit & Bandit EVO
  • Slower rate of fire to address community feedback around time-to-kill.
  • Improvement to red reticle headshot accuracy.
• Sentinel Beam
  • Increased base damage.
  • Removed damage fall off.
  • Removed headshot multiplier.
• Skewer
  • Faster reload to give players more opportunities to utilize this weapon during combat.
• S7 Sniper & CQS48 Bulldog
  • Increased maximum ammo reserves (from 20 to 24 for the S7 Sniper; from 21 to 28 for the CQS48 Bulldog).
• Grenades
  • Grenade jumping returns! The impulse for Fragmentation, Plasma, and Spike grenade physics has been increased, giving players increased jump height.
• Ravager Rebound
  • Primary fire will now explode on direct player impact, or bounce off level geometry and explode.
  • Primary fire will now shoot one projectile.
  • Charged up shot will instantly kill a player on a direct hit.
  • Increased the damage of charged shot’s area-of-effect.
• Impact Commando
  • Reduced bloom.
  • Adjusted aim-down-sight transition time.
• Volatile Skewer
  • Trajectory now matches the default Skewer.
  • Increased reload speed (like the default Skewer).
  • Increased damage.
• Riven Mangler
  • Increased rate of fire.
  • Reduced gun kick.
• Stalker Rifle Ultra
  • Three shots to kill instead of four.
  • Increased rate of fire.
  • Adjusted aim-down-sight transition time.
• Unbound Plasma Pistol
  • Primary fire now shoots three projectile bursts.
  • Primary fire is now more accurate.
  • Increased heat resistance.
  • Charged shot now has EMP effect.
  • Charged shot now shoots 8 projectiles (previously 6), it is slightly slower but also more accurate.
• Flexfire Sniper
  • Added animation modifier block element to barrel configuration.
  • Increased ready initial playback modifier 0.3%.
• Banshee
  • Increased splatter damage resistance.
  • Plasma cannons are better.
  • Fuel rod projectile moves faster, and cooldown is reduced.
  • Rolling to the left and right go further.
• Ghost
  • Lowered health for the Ghost’s left and right wings.
  • Decreased reverse speed.
  • Slower strafe acceleration from side-to-side.

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What you need to know

• The latest update for Halo Infinite is now live, bringing the Anvil Operation to players on Xbox and PC. 
• This Operation adds a new 20-tier pass with cosmetics themed after Anvil Station, which is jointly operated by UNSC and Swords of Sanghelios forces.
• There's also a new gameplay mode called Big Team Battle: Sentry Defense, with each team tasked with defending two monitors.

More Halo action awaits. 

Operation Anvil is now live in Halo Infinite, bringing new cosmetics for players to earn and a big new gameplay mode to check out. As detailed on Halo Waypoint, Anvil Operation is themed after the in-universe Anvil Station, an orbital station staffed jointly by UNSC Spartans and warriors from the Swords of Sanghelios. 

That's reflected in the Operation's cosmetics, which features some armor designed inspired by Sangheili patterns. As with other recent passes, Anvil Operation is 20 tiers that are free to earn for the duration of the Operation. Anyone that purchases the pass can keep it and make progress forever, as well as getting a couple of extra cosmetic items.

Anvil Operation introduces Big Team Battle: Sentry Defense

The other big addition in Anvil Operation is the new Big Team Battle: Sentry Defense mode. In this mode, players are tasked with defending and repairing two large monitor constructs, like the ones seen in Halo Infinite's campaign. Each team starts with 2,000 points, losing points as their sentries take damage. 

Right now, this new mode is live now across the Fragmentation, Highpower, Deadlock, Oasis, Scar, and Command maps. Each map will also have at least one Repair Field item, meaning players can obtain the precious piece of equipment and use it to repair their Sentries if damage accumulates, but requiring more careful planning as teams are forced to choose between defending their sentries or going after the enemy team's constructs.

Analysis: Another reason to keep playing

Halo Infinite has received some pretty solid updates this year, with the addition of the beloved Mark IV Halo Wars-era armor and Juggernaut mode in prior months. I'm definitely looking forward to checking out more of Big Team Battle: Sentry Defense fairly soon. It's a great shake-up compared to how other Big Team Battle modes tend to play out, and I have no doubt it'll really require teams to think carefully compared to even other objective-based modes like Capture the Flag.

I'm also happy to see Elite-inspired cosmetics making an appearance here. The Arbiter's Swords of Sanghelios are super cool, and while I'll forever find it a shame that playable Elites weren't available in Halo Infinite, it's good to see humanity's allies haven't been forgotten.

Halo Infinite is one of the best Xbox games available, and the multiplayer is currently available as a free-to-play game across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC, while the campaign is paid and included in Xbox Game Pass.

What you need to know

• The latest content update for Halo Infinite is available now across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC. 
• Halo Infinite's long-awaited Match Composer is now here, allowing players to fine-tune what modes they want to play in a particular playlist. 
• Halo Infinite has also brought back the iconic Juggernaut mode, which was first introduced all the way back in Halo 2. 
• Juggernaut pits one player against all the rest with some advantages, but if the Juggernaut is killed, the killer becomes the new Juggernaut.

There's a new juggernaut in town. 

The latest content update for Halo Infinite is now live across all platforms, bringing the newest 20-tier Operation Pass, Tenrai IV, as well as some other long-awaited additions. 

As detailed by developer 343 Industries on Halo Waypoint, Halo Infinite's match composer is finally available for everyone, giving players the the ability to fine-tune modes when selecting a particular playlist. If you feel like playing Land Grab and King of the Hill, but not Slayer, you can set your choices accordingly. This content update also sees another big add-on in the form of a fan-favorite mode: Juggernaut.

When was Juggernaut mode introduced in Halo?

Juggernaut was first introduced to the Halo franchise with 2004's Halo 2. It quickly became a popular mode and series mainstay, with one player empowered in unique ways while they tried to take out everyone else in a match, with ownership of the Juggernaut title and abilities passing to whoever killed the Juggernaut.

Halo Infinite's official version of Juggernaut sees one player gain a speed boost, damage increase, stronger shields, a gravity hammer and a Quantum Translocator. Halo Infinite also includes the variant mode, Ninjanaut, which sees the Juggernaut equipped with an Active Camo, infinite plasma grenades, and a Grappleshot. The Active Camo runs out over time, but is recharged through kills. 

Analysis: A cool mode that took long enough

Juggernaut is another mode that, frankly, shouldn't have taken this long to officially be added to Halo Infinite, though I'm aware enterprising modders had recreated it already through the ever-amazing Forge mode. Still, I'm glad it's here, and I'll definitely be hopping into these playlists with my friends and family once the weekend showcase madness is over. 

I'm also really happy to see the Match Composer finally added. It's a great way of increasing your enjoyment if you're just frustrated with one particular mode at a certain time. I think anyone who has ever played a multiplayer game has run into the feeling of "How am I playing this mode on this map again already?" and that should be easy to alleviate now. 

Halo Infinite is one of the best Xbox games available, and the multiplayer is currently available as a free-to-play game across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC, while the campaign is paid and included in Xbox Game Pass.

What you need to know

• The next content update for Halo Infinite is scheduled to arrive on April 30, 2024.
• Titled Banished Honor, this update features a 20-tier pass, two new Forge palettes (including one themed after the Flood), and more.
• As part of this update, the Plasma Pistol is gaining the ability to stun vehicles with overcharged shots like in some past Halo games. 
• This update also adds the Exchange, where players can purchase returning cosmetics with a new earnable currency called Spartan Points.

The next big update is returning a fan-favorite feature to the Halo sandbox. 

Developer 343 Industries shared an overview of the next Halo Infinite content update on Tuesday, revealing a new earnable currency, free pass, and some features that players can look forward to as part of the Banished Honor theme. Of all the announcements, one of the biggest is the return of a feature that's been a Halo staple since 2007. Starting with this update, the Plasma Pistol will again be capable of disabling vehicles through overcharged shots, adding a great deal of functionality to the oft-overlooked Banished sidearm. 

Some other big additions include two new Forge item palettes, including one that's themed around the Flood, with plenty of betentacled, infested gunk for Forge users to build horror-themed maps with. 

This update, which is set to arrive on April 30, is also introducing a new 20-tier pass. Like others of its kind, the pass is entirely free, with a paid option that comes with an exclusive coating and the ability to keep making progress in it once a new pass arrives. This pass will also come loaded with Spartan Points.

What are Spartan Points?

Spartan Points are a new earnable currency that players will get for going through matches and completing passes. Spartan Points can then be used in the Exchange on returning cosmetics that have rotated out or been unavailable for months and years since the game first launched back in November 2021.

Did the Plasma Pistol always disable vehicles in past games?

The Plasma Pistol (like many Halo weapons) has fluctuated throughout the years, with tweaks to its damage, shot count, rate of fire, and even the ability to disable vehicles. While it's a feature burned into the brains of many a Halo player, it wasn't present in Halo: Combat Evolved or Halo 2, instead being added in Halo 3, which also introduced equipment such as the Power Drain. 

Analysis: Some good features, but questions remain

I've had a lot of fun hopping back into Halo Infinite this year, and I'm looking forward to earning this pass. I really like the idea of allowing players to earn a currency through playing and progressing that can then be spent on cosmetics they might've previously missed. 

While Halo Infinite's battle pass model has been better than many other live-service games — seriously, having the ability to just grab a pass and not worry about it ever expiring removes so much FOMO and I wish more games would do it — there's still a large number of cosmetics that I and many other players have never earned due to the realities of time. So I'm all for Spartan Points!

Looking ahead however, it's not lost on me that there simply isn't a roadmap of what to expect from Halo Infinite right now. We get hints or mentions that the developers are looking into a feature a couple of updates ahead, but for the most part we're in the dark. Even if chunks of 343 Industries are now working on future Halo titles, I'd like to have a better idea to what's coming in 2024 (and beyond) for the game I'm playing right now. This game has come a long way, joining the ranks of the best Xbox games available, and I'd like to see that work continue.

Halo Infinite multiplayer is currently available as a free-to-play game on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC.

As Master Chief (Pablo Schreiber) makes his way to the Halo, all the pieces are finally in motion. Meanwhile, an ancient force between human or Covenant reckoning has already been unleashed.

So things stand with the arrival of "Halo," the titular final episode of Halo The Series, Season 2. Final decisions are made, and not everyone makes it out in the ensuing melee. While I'll lament one last time that some side plot threads go unaddressed, Halo is nevertheless one of the strongest episodes of the entire show, with oodles of action and a sudden yet fitting leap into horror. Here's my review.
As a reminder, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can grab a month of Paramount+ for free right now!

Halo The Series Season 2, Episode 8: Halo

If you haven't yet, you can also check out my review of Halo The Series Season 2, Episode 7, Thermopylae.

Halo focuses on the immediate fallout of Miranda Keyes (Olive Gray) and her mother Catherine Halsey (Natascha McElhone) bringing back something from an ancient alien container last episode. The resulting outbreak finally introduces the "monster" that Kwan Ha (Yerin Ha) has feared all season, with some tense scenes that wouldn't be out of place in a horror film. No points for any Halo veterans guessing where things were headed, but I'm pleased with exactly how it's handled, as it's clear the threat here is rapidly growing out of control, escalating matters tenfold. 

It's an excellent tonal shift that's juxtaposed against the more traditional action sequences, with Kai-125 (Kate Kennedy) and Perez (Christina Rodlo) trying to survive against the Covenant forces while Master Chief makes his way to the Halo. In particular, one fight toward the end of the episode is a highlight not just here but for the show as a whole. While the show has definitely taken its time building character motivation in some past episodes, the payoff here is genuine investment as it becomes abundantly clear a number of cast aren't making it out.

It would've been easy for one side of the equation to be imbalanced, but the episode manages to keep the equilibrium without issue, which especially impressive given how the runtime here hasn't been expanded past other episodes in the season. Past episodes have often focused on just a couple of characters, giving them the most emotional moments to the rest of the cast's expense, but that's not the case here. Instead, basically everyone gets a moment in the sun, even if we're saying goodbyes (both ambiguous and ironclad) to a significant number of them. 

The only downside is that the season-long feeling of weakness in some of the side plots fully manifest here, as these unanswered questions and threads end up withering into nothing. I'm hardly of the belief that every question in a piece of media needs to be answered, but that's not the case, and I definitely would've appreciated some further information on why certain characters are even here past the first season. 

Halo The Series Season 2, Episode 8: Verdict

Halo, fittingly enough, is one of the best episodes of the series so far, and sends this stronger second season out on the right foot. Not everything has been perfect and not every question that needed to be answered has been addressed, but this is a satisfactory alternate universe that showcases some compelling "what if?" scenarios for fans of the games. For anyone introduced to this universe through the show, Season 2 provides a great look at some of the reasons that games have resonated with so many people for so long. 

While there's nothing official at the time I'm writing this, I hope this can lead into a third season, and I'm already eager to see just how things will transpire. As it stands, however, Halo The Series can finally stand on its own feet and be proud in doing so. 

A reminder: I interviewed the showrunner and some of the cast for Halo The Series Season 2, so you can read that right now to learn more about what went into crafting these characters, plots, and themes in order to adapt one of the Halo universe's biggest events.

Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 of Halo The Series Season 2 are now available exclusively on Paramount+, with new episodes dropping every Thursday. Right now, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can try one month of Paramount+ for free.

Interested in more Halo? Halo Infinite and Halo: The Master Chief Collection are currently available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC. Both are included in Xbox Game Pass. With continued support, both are some of the best Xbox games available. 

If you can't control something, neither should your enemy.

At least, that belief being held by some is the crux of the conflict in Halo The Series Season 2's penultimate entry, "Thermopylae," which sets the stage for a devastating fight that will forever shape the balance of power in the Human-Covenant War. We also get some harrowing foreshadowing that seems unlikely to pay off in the finale but could raise the stakes even further as the show continues. 

With allegiances and motivations tested, this episode serves as a solid entry heading into the endgame of Season 2, with only a few small distractions taking away from the experience. Here's my review.

As a reminder, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can grab a month of Paramount+ for free right now!

Halo The Series Season 2, Episode 7: Thermopylae

If you haven't yet, you can also check out my review of Halo The Series Season 2, Episode 6, Onyx.

Thermopylae picks up immediately after the events of Onyx, with John-117 (Pablo Schreiber) and Kai-125 (Kate Kennedy) dealing with the unfolding ramifications of the former's march across the base in search of his armor. I've always really liked Kai, and getting to see her play off of John again is sorely needed, even if it's under more dire circumstances that don't allow her once-bubbly personality to really shine through.

Makee (Charlie Murphy) also gets to have a few solid moments in this episode, showcasing her tenacity, drive, and, above all else, her fear of being wrong. Where past episodes, and especially the entire first season, could have her delivering mixed results, Murphy's performance is compelling, and the continued lack of explanation surrounding her recovery aside — at this point, I'm throwing in the towel on that topic — I truly am curious to see her story through when reaching the Halo. 

Elsewhere, the ever-enigmatic Ackerson (Joseph Morgan) is finally in the limelight again, and with his back against the wall, we finally see who he truly is. Ackerson's motivations early on often seemed contradictory, but even if there are still questions around his aims for the Spartan-IIIs, it's in this episode that so much of what he really believes is finally revealed. 

The unexpected highlight of this episode comes from Catherine Halsey (Natascha McElhone) and Miranda Keyes (Olive Gray). The mother-daughter duo reunited in the last episode after an entire season away from each other, and they immediately make up for lost time, with Miranda picking up and continuing Halsey's work investigating ancient ruins. The discoveries they make alongside Kwan Ha (Yerin Ha) might be subtle for show watchers, but for longtime Halo fans, there's an alarm blaring as the path to one of the biggest possible events in the timeline just became a lot clearer.

Halo The Series Season 2, Episode 7: Verdict

While I'm disappointed the action is going to kick off again in the next episode, Thermopylae really helps represent how far the show has come. Characters I was interested in have had consistent arcs, and while it's annoying that it took this long, some of the setup here for the future of the Silver Timeline is extremely exciting to speculate about.

With only the conclusion to this season remaining, I'm interested in seeing just how the show tries to stick the landing. I truly hope (and believe) that we'll finally arrive on the Halo in the next episode. It's time to lock in predictions. There have been ups and downs, but overall, the series found its footing in Season 2, so fingers crossed that everything is lined up properly for Season 3. 

A reminder: I interviewed the showrunner and some of the cast for Halo The Series Season 2, so you can read that right now to learn more about what went into crafting these characters, plots, and themes in order to adapt one of the Halo universe's biggest events.

Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of Halo The Series Season 2 are now available exclusively on Paramount+, with new episodes dropping every Thursday. Right now, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can try one month of Paramount+ for free.

Interested in more Halo? Halo Infinite and Halo: The Master Chief Collection are currently available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC. Both are included in Xbox Game Pass. With continued support, both are some of the best Xbox games available. 

Time is against everyone on Onyx. 

With competing plots colliding, the titular sixth episode of Halo The Series' second season brings the simmering cast to a rolling boil. Inter-service conflict has broken out on every side in the Human-Covenant war, with different revelations testing loyalties all around. 

If the first few episodes of this season were characterized with a building sense of dread, the ante penultimate "Onyx" is about the growing rage of those who feel betrayed and what they'll do in the face of said betrayal. Some side plots do distract, as they aren't given time for full resolution, but overall, this is a compelling watch to set up the final quarter of the season. Here's my review.

As a reminder, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can grab a month of Paramount+ for free right now!

Halo Season 2, Episode 6: Onyx

If you haven't yet, you can also check out my review of Halo The Series Season 2, Episode 5, Aleria.

Onyx — a name that will perk the ears of Halo book readers — is a world of secrets, so it's fitting that this episode focuses on different plots coming to light. With Kai-125 (Kate Kennedy) training a new generation of Spartan-IIIs, including determined survivor Perez (Cristina Rodlo), we get some great moments between the two as Kai tries to prepare her students for the harsh realities of dangerous missions. 

Kai has been fun and optimistic ever since removing her control pellet last season, so seeing her more reserved in a position where she has to be aloof by necessity, is a   fantastic change of pace that allows Kennedy to show more a more stoic side. John-117 (Pablo Schreiber) is back in action this episode, and while I'll avoid specifics, he gets some much-needed interactions with a number of characters that help reinforce the core of his character arc. 

Ackerson (Joseph Morgan) isn't present in much of the episode, but we do get to check in with him again, with Morgan delivering another compelling performance, pontificating with Parangosky (Shabana Azmi) on the nature of symbols and stories. It's a noteworthy scene, one that helps shed further light on everything the pair have done and continue to work toward. 

Makee (Charlie Murphy) and Arbiter Var 'Gatanai (Viktor Åkerblom) round out a strong narrative-focused episode, with some surprising turns in the twisted (albeit essential) relationship the pair share. This window into the Covenant feels far more natural here than it did in the first season or even just a couple of episodes ago in season 2, and I'm extremely curious about where this Arbiter ends up. 

The only real weak portion of this episode comes from the lack of resolution in some of the side plots. I appreciate spending more time with characters like Catherine Halsey (Natascha McElhone), but without a lot for them to do, these stories end up feeling unsatisfying while there's live-or-death stakes playing out across the rest of Onyx.

Halo Season 2, Episode 6: Verdict

Onyx is one of the strongest episodes of the season, with some emotional confrontations that have been building for a while. John, Kai, and the Arbiter are all central highlights for me right now, and I've got my theories as to where all three will be at the end of the finale. 

Not everything has been perfect, but as a whole season 2 has been strong so far, and I'm outright invested in the outcomes that are being set up in the Silver Time. With only two episodes to go, the season is reaching a fever-pitch crescendo, and I'm excited to see where the cast is headed.

A reminder: I interviewed the showrunner and some of the cast for Halo The Series Season 2, so you can read that right now to learn more about what went into crafting these characters, plots, and themes in order to adapt one of the Halo universe's biggest events.

Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of Halo The Series Season 2 are now available exclusively on Paramount+, with new episodes dropping every Thursday. Right now, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can try one month of Paramount+ for free.

Interested in more Halo? Halo Infinite and Halo: The Master Chief Collection are currently available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC. Both are included in Xbox Game Pass. With continued support, both are some of the best Xbox games available. 

In the wake of devastation, there are a lot of questions around what it means to be a Spartan. 

That's the crux of the matter in Aleria, the fifth episode of Halo The Series Season 2. Following the fall of Reach and the untold told that's been unleashed by the Covenant, the surviving members of the cast flee to a remote world to regroup, heal, and track down Soren-066's (Bokeem Woodbine) missing son Kessler (Tylan Bailey). 

We're back to a lack of action in this extra-long (60-minute runtime!) episode, but that allows for some necessary decompression after recent events, and the setup we see for the rest of the season makes it clear the war is entering its most brutal, dire phase yet. Here's my review. 

As a reminder, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can grab a month of Paramount+ for free right now!

Halo Season 2, Episode 5: Aleria

If you haven't yet, you can also check out my review of Halo The Series Season 2, Episode 4, Reach. 

No one is doing particularly well in the wake of losing Vannak-134 (Bentley Kalu), but John-117 (Pablo Schreiber) is hit particularly hard. Schreiber grapples with missing a comrade, but also his own mortality, and the truth of how Spartans are vulnerable, especially without their armor, is a cold weight hanging over all. 

The extended runtime gives us plenty of time with most of the Reach survivors, and for the first time this season, we get to see John and Halsey (Natascha McElhone) bouncing questions off of each other. The dynamic of these two was something I mostly enjoyed in the first season, and while it's taken a long time to come back, it's nice to see. 

We also get a welcome peek into the minds of Makee (Charlie Murphy) and Sangheili Arbiter Var 'Gatanai (Viktor Åkerblom). While they were introduced back in the second episode of the season, it's only now that we really see what their motivations are. It's an odd duo, but one that serves to give an extremely different perspective and give a meaningful "face" to the Covenant side of events.

That said, I'd be remiss not to note that Makee's continued recovery is unexplained. It's more than a little weird for it to have gone unaddressed this long, but I do hope we get some answers soon. 

Elsewhere, we get some intrigue around Kwan Ha (Yerin Ha) and the role she's going to play in the future. A lot of her scenes in the past few episodes have been framed in a distracting manner, but the sense of dread attached to her this time felt palpable. For the first time since the show began, I'm actually curious about where she's headed in the future. I've got some theories about the "monster" she's referenced all season, but we might be waiting past Season 2 to find out just what is happening. 

The lack of action is certainly noticeable given how long this episode runs, but there's clearly more to come, with a foreboding shot at scale that wouldn't be out of place in a Star Wars film making it abundantly clear that the Human-Covenant war is about to enter its most brutal phase yet. Some name-drops here are going to be especially exciting for Halo book readers, and there's no question where we're headed next as some machinations are revealed. 

Halo Season 2, Episode 5: Verdict

While the slower pace of this episode is certainly less exciting than its predecessor, I appreciate that we're getting time to understand the psychology of the remaining cast. The war isn't over, and I'm fully expecting the largest confrontation yet in the coming weeks.

With three episodes left in the magazine, we've tipped past the halfway point, and it's entirely possible this is the last time this season that we get to take a breath before plunging into icy waters. 

A reminder: I interviewed the showrunner and some of the cast for Halo The Series Season 2, so you can read that right now to learn more about what went into crafting these characters, plots, and themes in order to adapt one of the Halo universe's biggest events.

Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of Halo The Series Season 2 are now available exclusively on Paramount+, with new episodes dropping every Thursday. Right now, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can try one month of Paramount+ for free.

Interested in more Halo? Halo Infinite and Halo: The Master Chief Collection are currently available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC. Both are included in Xbox Game Pass. With continued support, both are some of the best Xbox games available. 

The shadow that's long grown over Reach now threatens to swallow it entirely. 

Reach, the appropriately-titled fourth episode of Halo The Series' second season, dives headfirst into the conflict that's bubbled in the prior episodes, with humanity's war with the Covenant exploding into something no one can hide away from anymore. Despite changes to the timeline, some things are constant, and the Fall of Reach is here.

With the list of dead growing rapidly, we get much-needed action sequences that ramp up the pace but don't shy away from showing the horrific toll that'll be required of this war. Here's my review:

As a reminder, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can grab a month of Paramount+ for free right now!

Halo TV Series Season 2, Episode 4: Reach

If you haven't yet, you can also check out my review of Halo The Series Season 2, Episode 3, Reach.

Even with a heavy focus on battle sequences for this episode, we still get to see members of the cast shine. In particular, John-117 (Pablo Schreiber) falls into his expected role with reserved precision while still taking time to reassure others like Perez (Cristina Rodlo) with what they need to hear in order to keep them moving. Fellow Silver Team Spartan Vannak-134 (Bentley Kalu) is likewise present in a stoic fashion but still makes time to continue revealing his hidden depths.

We also get some fantastic moments from Admiral Jacob Keyes (Danny Sapani) as he attempts to rally the human forces on Reach in an attempt to stave off the unrelenting waves of doom washing over all. Keyes and Silver Team grapple here with the repercussions of decisions in prior episodes. There's nothing to be done about the outcome of John's actions or choosing not to believe his assessments of Ackerson (Joseph Morgan). The latter is absent from this episode, but his touch is still felt all over.

We also get to check in with Doctor Halsey (Natascha McElhone) and Soren-066 (Bokeem Woodbine). This odd pairing pulled away from much of the action in the episode, provides a few sparing moments of needed levity while still giving a bit of insight into the precise, detailed, surgical-esque relationship Halsey had with every member of her Spartan program.

Ultimately, however, the battles are the main draw here, and they deliver in spades. As energy swords slash and heavy tanks (Scorpion fans, you'll be happy) thunder into action, this is Halo at its best. The action of the games is accurately translated as multiple characters get to shine, even at the cost of their own lives. It's also worth mentioning that fans of the games and prior extended media will notice a fair few callbacks and fun references scattered across the episode.

Across books, comics, games, and now TV, Reach has always stood for tragedy. No matter the medium, this is the impregnable fortress of humanity falling and shifting the situation to its most desperate form. This episode does that meaning justice, and while it does mean saying goodbye to great characters that have been fascinating to follow this season, it raises the stakes without pushing into apathy.

Halo TV Series Season 2, Episode 4: Verdict

With this episode, the show hasn't just found its stride but is hammering down emotional blows at just the right pace. While I naturally expect things will wax and wane a bit as the plot continues forward, this is the energy that takes Halo from a good series to a great one. If the series can hit this emotional, action-packed benchmark in the future, it'll continue to be a series worth watching.

At the same time, I do have to note that there are some major (spoiler-filled) question marks that continue to go unaddressed. I don't think it's a huge negative right now, but I am cognizant of just how many questions are now piling up without any answers.

Even so, this season is now four for four for me. Hopefully, the second half can keep that track record, as I'm eagerly awaiting checking in on some missing members of the cast and continuing the Fall in Episode 5.

A reminder: I interviewed the showrunner and some of the cast for Halo The Series Season 2, so you can read that right now to learn more about what went into crafting these characters, plots, and themes in order to adapt one of the Halo universe's biggest events.

Episodes 1, 2, 3, and 4 of Halo The Series Season 2 are now available exclusively on Paramount+, with new episodes dropping every Thursday. Right now, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can try one month of Paramount+ for free.

Interested in more Halo? Halo Infinite and Halo: The Master Chief Collection are currently available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC. Both are included in Xbox Game Pass. With continued support, both are some of the best Xbox games available. 

What do you do when you know what's coming and you're powerless to stop it?

In the face of hard choices and growing dread, that question is the name of the game in Visegrad, the third episode of Halo The Series' second season. James Ackerson (Joseph Morgan) of the ONI is up to something, and he's making hard choices even as we find out more about what is driving him. Master Chief (Pablo Schreiber) is struggling to explain what he knows is happening on Reach. All the while, the power vacuum of Soren's capture has repercussions for his family. 

A lack of action this far into the season is made up for with some strong character moments, as new motivations are examined while a creeping undertone builds throughout. Here's my review. 

As a reminder, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can grab a month of Paramount+ for free right now!

Halo TV series Season 2, Episode 3: Visegrad

If you haven't yet, you can also check out my review of Halo The Series Season 2, Episode 2, Sword.

Sanctuary was all about reshuffling the deck of power. Sword focused on how different characters are healing. Visegrad, then, is focused on the helplessness of knowing that you're right but being unable to convince others you know what's best, even as the clock is running down.

The gaslighting and doubt that Master Chief has been suffering this season reach a fever pitch here. The resulting conflict without and within adds to the despair of the episode, as precious time is slipping away while no one knows what to think or do. The idea of just how far Master Chief will go to prove he's correct is a troubling idea, but it's one that's being executed fairly well. As in Sword, Chief and Perez have some fantastic moments together, and one particular scene toward the end is a standout for the entire series so far. 

That's aided by the soundtrack. Composer Bear McCreary's score was solid before, but it's given some real time to shine here, especially near the final moments, and this episode delivers some of the most haunting tracks so far.

Morgan's performance as James Ackerson remains a highlight, as he's played off of the more down-to-earth Admiral Keyes (Danny Sapani). It's the first time we've really gotten to see the manipulations of ONI played off against the rougher sections of the UNSC brass, and it works smoothly with the sense of hopelessness and waste in this episode. We also get to see more of what's personally driving Ackerson in some surprisingly vulnerable moments that only reinforce his beliefs, and I find myself more curious than ever as to what his plan really is. 

On The Rubble, side plots pick up a bit of steam — even as they remain the show's slowest section — as Kwan (Yerin Ha), Soren's son Kessler (Tylan Bailey), and Soren's wife Laera (Fiona O'Shaughnessy) are in danger. I'm glad to see this part of the plot pick up the pace, and it serves to shake the feeling of wanting to get back to the Spartans and UNSC whenever we're away from them. 

Halo TV series Season 2, Episode 3: Verdict

Overall, Visegrad is an excellent showing of restraint and a clear message that the writers of this second season can deliver compelling characters and stories away from combat. The dark storm clouds over Reach are gathering, and if they do indeed burst, I'm curious how the pacing of the rest of the season will fall into place. But burst they must, as we're definitely due some action with the season's halfway point approaching. 

If the remaining five episodes of Halo The Series Season 2 can carry the same pacing, heartfelt story beats, and action — well, maybe double up on the action — then I'm not just interested but outright excited about seeing where we're headed and who is going to make it off Reach.

A reminder: I interviewed the showrunner and some of the cast for Halo The Series Season 2, so you can read that right now to learn more about what went into crafting these characters, plots, and themes in order to adapt one of the Halo universe's biggest events. 

Episodes 1, 2, and 3 of Halo The Series Season 2 are now available exclusively on Paramount+, with new episodes dropping every Thursday. Right now, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can try one month of Paramount+ for free.

Interested in more Halo? Halo Infinite and Halo: The Master Chief Collection are currently available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC. Both are included in Xbox Game Pass. With continued support, both are some of the best Xbox games available. 

"Crisis."

So says David Wiener, new showrunner for Halo The Series Season 2, when I ask him what single word he'd choose to describe this season's story arc. I recently had the chance to speak with some of the team on Halo The Series Season 2, with actors Bokeem Woodbine (Spider-Man: Homecoming, Fargo, Queen & Slim) and Joseph Morgan (The Vampire Diaries, Brave New World, Ben Hur) sharing insights into their characters, while Wiener and Microsoft head of transmedia Kiki Wolfkill talked about what's different with this new season. 

Note: Some spoilers for Episode 1, Sanctuary, and Episode 2, Sword, are discussed in this interview. If you haven't yet, be sure to watch those episodes, which are both available now via Paramount+.

Hitting the ground running

With a second season, a lot for Halo was already established, but that doesn't mean there aren't big changes. New additions to the cast mesh with the existing roster, while having a new showrunner take the reins means a new tone for the series. 

"The tricky part was choosing which opportunities to pursue," says Wiener. "Season 1 gives us some really great places where these characters land, and it was up to me and the writers to say 'Okay, which of these is most compelling? Which of these feels most emotional? Which of these feels most in the spirit of Halo? And how can we make these things that may feel like endings in Season 1 actually beginnings of arcs in Season 2?'

"[The production of] Season 1 went over such a protracted period of time, I've learned a ton. I would say we as a whole crew, 1,100-plus people, learned a ton about what it takes to make the show. Film and TV is so hard, especially with this series, which feels like we're making literally four feature films in a row when we create a season, in terms of the scope and scale," adds Wolfkill, who also credits Wiener with a bringing a "really specific vision" for the story of Halo.

Season 2 is all about disruption

The events of Halo's Season 2 are shaking things up and disrupting the established hierarchies, with James Ackerson of ONI taking over the Spartan program. Meanwhile, longtime deserter Soren has been captured, leading to a power vacuum on The Rubble. When I ask Wiener if this theme was an intentional choice, he's quick to affirm it was. 

"Yeah, I mean I think that's pretty keenly observed, it's an important thread and theme of the whole season, that you have power dynamics that are beneath the conduct of the war, beneath the existential stakes. You meet these characters at a moment of great change, and that allows us to see into them in a way that we haven't yet," he says.

"We get to know them differently, it gives us slightly different optics. And ultimately, it makes it so the arc of the season is taking these characters that we're learning about dimensionally, and executing that change, and having them arrive in a place that is a little more familiar to us, but is still connected to that theme of 'What is it to be a soldier? What is it to fight? Why do you fight?'"

Actor Joseph Morgan is a newcomer for the second season, but in playing ONI liaison James Ackerson, he doesn't take long to assume direct control of how everyone is operating on Reach. Morgan — a longtime fan of the games and world of Halo — was brought in by Wiener specifically because the two had worked together in the past. Timing was tight, to the point that Morgan actually missed the initial script read for the first couple of episodes, something that seems to have worked to his advantage. 

"So my first scene in Halo was my first scene in the [first] episode, where Ackerson's introduced and he walks on and I have about a three-page monologue, telling them how I'm gonna change the program that they all believe in and how we're gonna do things my way now but it's all gonna be fine and sort of reassuring and yet showing them I am the new boss," he explains.

"And so I thought 'The only thing to do here is to really try and play into that dynamic,' and you know, that's gonna take confidence. So my main thing was to try and feel as relaxed and confident in that moment as possible. Everybody was very welcoming, and very giving as actors, which is not always the case when you come onto a show, especially an established show."

Morgan goes on to praise the performances of his castmates, notably calling out the energy of Pablo Schreiber, who portrays Master Chief, adding "I knew that Pablo and the entire team felt like Season 2 is a chance to make the show that we want to make, the show that we want it to be, the Halo that we see."

"For me, I try to just feed off that confidence that they gave me and that I could find in myself to come in and catch people off guard. And I wanted to play a bit as well. I wanted to try things in different ways so that he was a little bit unpredictable, so that people might not be quite ready for how he's gonna do things, and a little bit of improvisation just to keep people on their toes because I think that's what his character does."

In one early confrontation between Ackerson and Master Chief, I noted that the higher the tension rose, the more comfortable Morgan seemed to be. He confirms that this was a conscious choice.

"The temptation as an actor is always to feed off the energy that the other actor is giving you, to play that same energy, and so for me as an actor, it's always much more interesting to try and shift the dynamic, so now I'm changing the energy in the room each time, and that way you're catching people off guard," Morgan says, adding that the height difference between him and all the actors playing Spartans meant finding different ways to "cut underneath" them. 

For Bokeem Woodbine, who returns as Spartan defector Soren, the role is like a "second skin," with his challenge being to show how the character is changing and perhaps getting more comfortable over time when he shouldn't be. 

"Most people change – whether or not they realize it – over time. Incrementally, imperceptibly, you’re changing because you’re experiencing things. Might even be the same thing, but even just experiencing the same thing time and time again, will change you. So I had to try and track what were the changes, and how to be cautious so that I wasn’t overconfident about what I know about. I didn't want to cheat the audience or myself," he says, adding that Soren is now in a place where he feels like he can relax since he has nothing to prove.

"When you're in the line of work that he's in, that sense of 'Let's coast for a bit'...that's a dangerous mindset to have. Cause people sense that. He's not as hungry as [he] used to be."

Despite that increasing complacency, Soren is lured out in the hopes of capturing Doctor Halsey. Reading his motivations is difficult at the best of times, but for Woodbine, it's a multifaceted compulsion.  

"It's just one of his many flaws, man. He wants some kind of redemption and revenge at the same time," Woodbine says. "There's plenty of people who will say 'I don't like this group of people, this particular person, these folks or whatever' but then they will put effort into proving to the same group of people that they say they don't want anything to do with, how great they are."

Building up to the fall of Reach

The marketing for the second season of Halo — as well as the events of the first two episodes — point unsubtly toward one of the biggest events in the Halo timeline, with humanity taking a massive blow at the fall of Reach. When I asked how the team is going about adapting this for the Silver Timeline of the show, Wolfkill and Wiener indicated that it's a balancing act of respecting what came before while finding new angles.

"What happens on Reach is such a pivotal moment in Halo history, but also such an important game moment. We all have our memories of playing Halo: Reach," says Wolfkill. "How do you distance yourself a little bit from the experience of having played through Reach? Because that's such a sacred experience. At the same time, respect what Reach is about, and that event is very much about humanity on its last foot, and what we get to do is be able to really show what it is to be on the ground in that experience, separate from the experience we had with Noble Team in Halo: Reach."

For Morgan, that sense of impending doom is driving his character. Ackerson is cast in an antagonistic role toward the Spartans, but not necessarily a villainous one.

"I see that Ackerson absolutely, unequivocally has the good of humanity as his goal. The survival of the human race is the only thing that matters to him. That means that a lot of decisions are gonna have to be made for the greater good. He knows he's coming into a situation where he is the new guy, and he knows he's going to make a lot of unpopular decisions. But all he is concerned with is how to get each person, each piece in this game in line so they do what he needs them to do, because he knows he is right, he knows that his way is the way that things need to be done for the greater good," he says. 

"And there's a tremendous amount of pressure on him, perhaps the fate of the entire human race, and so he really has to find ways to manipulate, to puppeteer situations, so that people will ultimately follow his plan, whether they know it or not, whether they like it or not, they're going to fall in line. That's his agenda."

When I ask Morgan what single word he'd choose to encapsulate Ackerson's story arc this season, he thinks for a moment before responding with "Unpredictable. Because with everything you have surmised about the character in the first two [episodes], I'm going to enjoy seeing it bend out of the way that you thought it was going to go."

Episodes 1 and 2 of Halo The Series Season 2 are now available exclusively on Paramount+, with new episodes dropping every Thursday. Right now, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can try one month of Paramount+ for free.

“It doesn’t get easier, it just gets further away.” 

That line from Master Chief (Pablo Schreiber) encapsulates the point of Sword, the second episode of Halo The Series' second season. Multiple characters need to heal from the events of the past season, some in more grueling manners than others. Some are missing loved ones. Others took grievous injuries that are slowing them down. Still some others aren't sure what they're missing or how they're supposed to move on, only that they have to. 

Examining that process of healing and what that means on an individual level makes for an interesting episode, one with surprises in both what it reveals and also in the characters it's focused on. The lack of big battles may annoy some, but the slightly shorter runtime means that even if it's slower than its predecessor, it doesn't overstay its welcome. Here's my review.

Disclaimer: This review was made possible by advance screeners provided by Paramount. The company did not see the contents of this review before publishing.

Halo TV Series Season 2, Episode 2: Sword

If you haven't yet, be sure to read my review of Halo Season 2, Episode 1: Sanctuary. 

Sword establishes that it's been six months since the events of the first season, but a lot of wounds aren't healed. In particular focus for this episode is Riz-028 (Natasha Culzac), who took some nasty injuries in a prior fight with the Covenant. As Riz works with a blind physical trainer (Marvin Jones III) to get better while training with the rest of her team, we get a look at how even these superhuman warriors struggle time and time again. They're not great at expressing a need for help, but the Spartan teams care for each other, and that protocol (or lack thereof) sometimes dictates action.

I recognize it's not the most "exciting" sequence of events, but it feels grounded and real, and watching Spartans like Riz find their humanity in the quiet moments provides some heartfelt moments. The same is true of Perez (Cristina Rodlo), the latter being the lone marine who made it through a Covenant attack in the prior episode, and her scenes give us some of the best emotional beats in the series so far. 

We also get to see Madrigal survivor Kwan Ha (Yerin Ha) again, who is struggling in her own way, trying to find a place on The Rubble amid the lowlifes and ne'er-do-wells, all while forging an odd friendship. Nothing about her scenes are bad, but they do feel distinctly out-of-focus compared to the other events here, and I hope there's more intriguing things to come for her in the remaining 75% of the season.

The return of Doctor Halsey (Natascha McElhone) is more subdued than expected, and while the former head of the Spartan program still has a bag full of tricks, she's clearly off her game a bit. This is the first time we've truly seen her reacting instead of acting, while is compelling, if surprising. While he's not quite as present in this episode, the James Ackerson (Joseph Morgan) continues to impress, and the question of just what he's trying to accomplish jumps to the forefront of my mind every time he's on-screen or even mentioned. 

Halo TV Series Season 2, Episode 2: Verdict

Sword is a solid second drive for this season of Halo, and paired with the first episode, it's a good opening act. The slow pace is undoubtedly noticeable, but I appreciate the cast taking time to take stock of what they're doing and why they're doing it. With six episodes to go, I expect the action to ramp up significantly, but that's not so much an option as it is a necessity.

Still, taking a moment for the characters to breathe is good, especially in light of the increasingly-short lengths of TV seasons. I understand budgets are a thing, and there's no question here the general trend has helped improve season-wide pacing, but watching big series go from a dozen to ten to just eight episodes has been lamentation-worthy. 

An important note: I've got an interview coming up in the next few days, talking about the first two episodes of Halo's second season with actors Bokeem Woodbine and Joseph Morgan, as well as showrunner David Wiener and Microsoft transmedia head Kiki Wolfkill. Due to some spoilers discussed in the interview, you can look for this interview to be published after these episodes are available for everyone to watch.

Halo The Series Season 2, Episode 2, Sword, is set to premiere on Feb. 8, 2024, exclusively on Paramount+.

Interested in more Halo? Halo Infinite and Halo: The Master Chief Collection are currently available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC. Both are included in Xbox Game Pass. With continued support, both are some of the best Xbox games available.

Silver Team leader John-117 (Pablo Schreiber), more commonly referred to as Master Chief, is having a hard time.

The AI Cortana was removed from his interface. While dealing with that loss, Cortana's creator Halsey is still removed from leading the Spartans program, and her replacement is seemingly doubtful of Silver Team's role in the field, especially for Master Chief himself. All the while, several human colonies have fallen to glassing  — the colloquial term for when several Covenant cruisers burn a surface with superheated plasma bombardment — and the Covenant are clearly massing their forces for something. Something bigger than wiping out a handful of colonies. Something that could lead to the destruction of the human race.

So opens Sanctuary, the first episode of Halo The Series' second season. Ahead of the season's premiere, I had the opportunity to check out the first and second episodes, getting a look at what fans and new viewers can expect from one of Paramount+'s biggest shows. 

It's a well-paced opening that delivers action, political intrigue, and a needed upheaval for the status quo. Some side plots do distract a bit, but we're still on solid footing heading into the remaining episodes. Here's my review.

Disclaimer: This review was made possible by advance screeners provided by Paramount. The company did not see the contents of this review before publishing.

Halo TV series Season 2, Episode 1: Sanctuary

Sanctuary is all about setting the board, moving pieces into place and examining new power structures. Nowhere is that more clear than through the addition of James Ackerson (Joseph Morgan) to the cast. Hailing from the ever-inscrutable Office of Naval Intelligence, aka ONI, Ackerson steals every scene he's in, masterfully redirecting questions and psychologically challenging the Spartans who tower over him. As the tension rises, he gets more and more comfortable, seemingly thriving in knowing the answers to questions that he won't share. 

Master Chief is front and center this episode, and it's his emotional turmoil that drives a lot of the aforementioned conflict with Ackerson. We do get some fun moments with the rest of Silver Team, though, who have all taken the removal of their emotion-inhibitors with varying levels of enthusiasm. The always-stoic Vannak-134 (Bentley Kalu) is a particular source of amusement, while Kai-125 (Kate Kennedy) remains as bubbly as ever. 

While it seems we'll be waiting for later in the season for more explosive, full-scale battles, we do get a great scene early on, with several Elites uncloaking to attack through the fog, snatching away unprepared UNSC marines left and right. We also get a breathtaking look at what it's like when a Covenant fleet turns a planet's crust into molten sludge, raining down -unending firepower where humanity has tried to put down roots. 

Spartan defector Soren (Bokeem Woodbine) also returns, having become mighty cushy in his position at the top of the crime syndicates of The Rubble. Soren is hard to read, but it's clear everyone around him and under him is more wary of the delicate balance that comes with being a pirate leader. Soren is compelling, but those around him often aren't, and while I'm interested in seeing where things are going with him after the episode ends, it takes the entirety of the 50-minute runtime to get to that point, with some distracting detours along the way.

Halo TV series Season 2, Episode 1: Verdict

Overall, Sanctuary is a great opening for the new season. I can't say enough good things about Joseph Morgan's portrayal of ONI liaison James Ackerson, and I'm fascinated to see where his character is headed in the coming episodes. As the stage is being set for the impending Covenant invasion, the hierarchy we're familiar with from the first season has been swept away, bringing an element of political intrigue that feels compelling, not irritating. 

Hopefully that'll remain the case and the side plots won't bog anything down too much as the stakes build higher and higher over the course of the season. Inevitable checks-in are due with some other characters returning from the first season, but there's room for things to improve from the often-inconsistent pacing that said characters' stories entailed. 

An important note: I've got an interview coming up in the next few days, talking about the first two episodes of Halo's second season with actors Bokeem Woodbine and Joseph Morgan, as well as showrunner David Wiener and Microsoft transmedia head Kiki Wolfkill. Due to some spoilers discussed in the interview, you can look for this interview to be published after these episodes are available for everyone to watch. 

Halo The Series Season 2, Episode 1, Sanctuary, is set to premiere on Feb. 8, 2024, exclusively on Paramount+.

You can also check out my review of Halo The Series Season 2, Episode 2.

Interested in more Halo? Halo Infinite and Halo: The Master Chief Collection are currently available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC. Both are included in Xbox Game Pass. With continued support, both are some of the best Xbox games available. 

What you need to know

• 343 Industries shared details on what's coming in Halo Infinite's next update on Jan. 30, 2024. 
• Halo Infinite is getting a Mark IV armor core, which is based on the iconic bulky armor from the time period of the original Halo Wars. 
• An upcoming Operation called Spirit of Fire is heavily focused on Mark IV customization, with armor pieces and emblems themed after Halo Wars. 
• Other additions include a new Arena map, Covenant-themed items for Forge, and more. 
• Halo Infinite's seasonal structure is ending, with the game receiving content update instead of new dedicated seasons. 

There's a fair bit on the way for Halo players to enjoy. 

In a community-focused stream on Friday, developer 343 Industries shared details on what's coming in the next Halo Infinite update on Jan. 30, 2024. One of the biggest additions coming is a Mark IV armor core, giving players the option of looking like a bulky, Halo Wars-era Spartan. 

Fittingly, one of the upcoming Operations is called Spirit of Fire, and includes plenty of customization bits geared around the Mark IV core and calling back to the crew of the titular ship from the Halo Wars games. More armor pieces are also coming in the form of crossovers with Halo The Series season 2. 

There's also a hefty number of improvements for Forge (more on that below) and the list of Halo Infinite multiplayer maps is growing, with a new Arena map called Illusion coming in this update. 

While 343 Industries is continuing to work on Halo Infinite, the team confirmed that the "Seasons" structure that the game has used is ending, meaning there won't be a true Season 6 in name. Instead, the game is shifting to content updates like the one coming on January 30. 343 directly compares this to the way Halo: The Master Chief Collection was supported over time, while cryptically noting that other teams at the studio are working on other projects. 

Halo Infinite Forge mode continues to expand

Halo Infinite's Forge mode continues to grow, with the January update including a Covenant-themed collection of items. That means tons of deep purple objects, including the iconic Covenant sniper tower that housed devious Jackal sharpshooters in games like Halo 3. Players will also be able to change the colors on certain "biome" objects, adjusting the colors of vegetation and similar items.

More themed palettes are headed to Forge in the future, with an alien flora pack and a collection of slimy Flood items on the way, though it's important to note these two packs aren't coming on January 30 but are instead coming further out. 

Analysis: Cool stuff on the way, but the shift is interesting

I'm a massive fan of the Halo Wars games, so getting the Mark IV armor core and similar cosmetics soon is right up my alley. I'll definitely be diving in for the Spirit of Fire operation, and I'm eager to see what the Forge community does with the soon-to-be-added Covenant items. 

Halo Infinite moving away from Seasons is interesting. As long as the game still gets regular content updates (which seems to be the plan) it doesn't affect how I play that much, but this move is telling about the future of the game, as 343 Industries is openly hinting at working on other projects outside of Halo Infinite. Whatever those look like, I'll cling to the unlikely hope Halo Wars 3 is one of them. 

What you need to know

• The first season of the Halo TV series launched on Paramount+ back in March 2022. 
• The show is set in the so-called "Silver Timeline," an alternate universe of Halo that is similar, but also different compared to the story of the games, books, and comics. 
• A teaser trailer for Halo The Series Season 2 is here, giving a glimpse at the brutal continued war between humanity and the Covenant, as well as a glimpse of an actual Halo ring. 
• Halo The Series Season 2 kicks off on Feb. 8, 2024 exclusively on Paramount+. 

It's been a big day for video games adapted into TV shows. 

Shortly after seeing the teaser trailer for the Fallout Amazon series, we've got our first look at the second season of the Halo TV series, which first premiered back in March 2022. While this new look is only a teaser trailer, it sets a grim tone, focusing on the harrowing war between humanity and Covenant, with a tiny glimpse of hope placed in the Spartans, especially Master Chief. You can take a look at the teaser trailer for the second season below:

When does Season 2 of the Halo TV series arrive?

We won't be waiting long to check out what's in store here, as Halo The Series Season 2 premieres on Feb. 8, 2024 on Paramount+. The show is set in the Silver Timeline, an alternate universe of sorts for the Halo franchise, meaning there are a large number of similar events and characters but some key differences. 

Notably, Master Chief is a member of Fireteam Silver here, instead of Fireteam Blue, meaning he's grown up alongside completely different Spartan comrades. As shared on Halo Waypoint, this second season will run for eight episodes, a slight reduction compared to the nine episodes of the first season.

Analysis: Please get this right

I've made no secret of the fact I liked the first season of this show more than most people — I even bought the 4K disc version of Halo The Series Season 1 — but the fact is it definitely wasn't perfect, and there are some big issues that can be improved on. I like the tone of this trailer, and it seems like it'll be focused on the Fall of Reach. If the show can get that right, it'll be a huge win in my eyes. 

Elsewhere, I think I see the Arbiter in that trailer? The low bitrate and resolution makes it really hard to tell, so I'm not sure. If so however, that means Thel 'Vadam was cast down in disgrace earlier in this timeline, and he might be clashing with Master Chief earlier on, which could prove interesting. 

What you need to know

• 343 Industries shared an overview of what players can expect from Halo Infinite Season 5: Reckoning. 
• Season 5 is adding two new Arena maps, Flood-inspired cosmetics, cross-core helmet support, and Forge AI tools. 
• Later in the season, 343 Industries is adding Firefight: King of the Hill, a new version of the classic Halo Firefight PvE mode.

Halo players can look forward to a slightly spooky new season. 

Developer 343 Industries shared an overview of Halo Infinite Season 5: Reckoning on Monday, revealing everything that players can look forward to. This season is packed with new additions, including two new Arena maps. One of these maps, Prism, appears to include giant Needler crystals that can be shot to damage other foes, while the second map, Forbidden, looks like it's inspired by Delta Halo in Halo 2. 

These season also adds a number of new cosmetics inspired by the Flood, with bulbous pustules and slender tendrils coming off of and outside of Spartan armor. Arguably the biggest addition is the launch of Forge AI, allowing players to add Banished enemies to their Forge creations. You can take a look at the trailer for the season below:

Players will get XP from custom matches when the season begins, and will be able to use any helmet on any armor core.

While all of this stuff arrives when the season begins on Oct. 17, 2023, there's more to look forward to further in. Firefight: King of the Hill is on the way later in Season 5, adding a new version of the classic Halo Firefight experience to the Halo Infinite game mode roster. 

Analysis: Now this is fantastic

Halo Infinite had a long road getting to this point, with delays and feature cancellations plaguing the game's first year on the market. Things started to look up with Season 3 and Season 4, but the additions in this season are absolutely fantastic. I'll have to get back to playing weekly matches when this drops. 

Developer 343 Industries' Halo Infinite is promising to provide an epic multiplayer suite, with new and returning gameplay modes and maps for players to explore. As such, we're tracking all the maps we know about right now. Here's the complete list of maps in Halo Infinite, as announced and in the game so far.

List of maps in Halo Infinite

So far, there are 19 maps in Halo Infinite, two of which were added post-launch in Halo Infinite Season 2, three added in Halo Infinite Season 3, two added in Season 4, and another two added in Season 5.. Halo Infinite's multiplayer suite is divided across 4v4 Arena and 12v12 Big Team Battle, as well as a variety of other modes such as Last Spartan Standing and Infection.

Please note this is only counting the original maps created by the developers, not Forge community creations or official Forge remakes by 343 Industries, of which there are now many!

By reviewing the list of currently available maps, players can be sure about where they'll be spending time online in what could be one of the best Xbox games available.

Halo Infinite maps: Aquarius

Aquarius is one of the launch maps for Halo Infinite and is an Arena map. It's a very "classic Halo" map, with symmetrical spawns and side passages, making any team pushes very easy to repel if they aren't coordinated carefully.

Halo Infinite maps: Bazaar

The East African Protectorate's plan to rebuild the glassed urban core of Mombasa was ambitious and expensive, but Project Rebirth investment by the UEG and UNSC activity at the nearby Voi Excession has revitalized some sections of the metropolis.

One of the three maps included in the first technical preview, Bazaar is set in the same spot as a portion of the Halo 2 campaign. In our experience, the market square makes for a contested, chaotic brawling arena, with a SPNKr Rocket Launcher available for dealing out serious damage. Threat Sensors also shine here, with a dense network of rooms flanking either side of the market, making it crucial to understand the location of foes.

Halo Infinite maps: Behemoth

It has survived for a hundred millennia, but this ring still holds fast to secrets yet unknown.

Behemoth is a larger map, suited for massive engagements despite being an Arena map. Numerous vehicles like the Ghost, Warthog, and new Wasp aircraft are all present, making for a deadly sandbox when combined with dangerous weapons like the one-hit kill, Warthog-flipping Skewer.

Halo Infinite maps: Breaker

A truly massive Big Team Battle map introduced with Season 2, Lone Wolves. Breaker is a desert-themed map, where Banished are cutting apart old UNSC ships for raw materials. In addition to some man cannons that can provide a tactical edge, the map features a large hazard in the form of a moving cutting laser, which can destroy vehicles and players who pass through it.

Halo Infinite maps: Catalyst

The second of two maps included in Season 2, Catalyst is an Arena map. It's Forerunner-themed, with light bridges connecting narrow passages, while an Energy Sword spawn can allow for map control if used appropriately.

Halo Infinite maps: Chasm

Chasm is the first of three maps added with the launch of Halo Infinite Season 3, Echoes Within. It's one of two Arena maps added with the season.

"Chasm is a unique map, its much smaller than any of our other current maps so combat will be more frenetic. It is leaning very heavily into the Forerunner art style, and is a direct call back to one of Infinite’s initial campaign missions, “Foundation,"" says Sean Baron, 343 Industries’ head of live performance.

Halo Infinite maps: Cliffhanger

The second Arena map added with the launch of Halo Infinite's third season is Cliffhanger, which is also the first map to feature any snow.

"Cliffhanger is an arena map. It’s asymmetrical, with a cross-map man cannon. It’s got a great Halo: Reach vibe. Feels very much like that moment when you’re dropping down into the first mission, “Noble Actual,"" Baron explains.

Halo infinite maps: Deadlock

Deadlock is a Big Team Battle match included at the launch of Halo Infinite. The map is somewhat asymmetrical, leading to vicious matches of Capture the Flag. The downed Pelican sees some of the fiercest fighting, while the Banished Anti-Air cannon in the middle of the map provides cover.

Halo Infinite maps: Forbidden

An Arena map added in Halo Infinite's fifth season, Forbidden is set deep in ancient ruins on Zeta Halo, the same Halo ring that Halo Infinite's campaign is set on and around.

Halo Infinite maps: Forest

One of two maps introduced with Season 4 of Halo Infinite, Forest is an Arena map explicitly designed to harken back to the design of Delta Halo in Halo 2. 

Halo Infinite maps: Fragmentation

Now more than ever, Installation 07's serene surface belies a deeper strain and conflict.

Fragmentation is another larger map. The architecture, terrain, and overall basic layout appear to make it something of a spiritual successor to Valhalla from Halo 3. The Warthog, Banshee, and Wasp have all been spotted here in pre-release trailers, alongside a new Brute weapon called the Stalker.

Halo Infinite maps: Highpower

Another map included at the launch of Halo Infinite, Highpower is a Big Team Battle map. The design pulls from maps seen across Halo 2 and Halo 3, with multiple lanes, a sniper vantage point, and tight areas for air power to dominate.

Halo Infinite maps: Launch Site

Launch Site is an Arena map that debuted at the launch of Halo Infinite. It's a large map considering it's used for rounds of Arena, with players encouraged to use more long-range weapons and study corners very carefully...or just risk using the man cannon to directly reach the enemy spawn.

Halo Infinite maps: Live Fire

Instructors at the Avery J. Johnson Academy of Military Science ensure their Spartans are prepared for any challenge that a hostile galaxy throws at them.

As the first map available to players in testing, Live Fire features numerous smaller pathways and multiple Drop Shield equipment spawns, allowing chokepoints to develop across the map. A Sniper Rifle and Skewer alternate spawning in the middle, close to an elevated vantage point with high visibility. That visibility goes both ways though. Knowing the weapon spawn locations is key to controlling this map, as is constant movement, given various tight paths and open spaces.

Halo Infinite maps: Oasis

Oasis is a Big Team Battle map added with Halo Infinite's third season, Echoes Within. There are two bases, as well as multiple ways of getting to your opponents around the titular Oasis.

"It has great lanes for vehicle combat, but those lanes don’t leave you at a huge disadvantage as a player on foot. The vehicle combat on this map should be pretty compelling. But that doesn’t come at the cost of more close-quarters-combat," Baron says. "The map features great indoor spaces – some of them are quite large – that players can control if they want to avoid being outside dealing with vehicles. I love this map’s design direction."

Halo Infinite maps: Prism

Set on Suban, a moon of the Elite homeworld of Sanghelios, Prism is an Arena map added with Halo Infinite Season 5: Reckoning. The map is set in the Blamite mines, where workers harvest the crystals that power weapons like the Needler and Needle Rifle. Clusters of these crystals can be detonated to track and damage enemies, introducing a unique mechanic for the Halo franchise.

Halo Infinite maps: Recharge

Resource infrastructure facilities such as those run by Axys' hydroelectric division help maintain stable energy grids for colony worlds throughout the UEG.

The second map tested by players selected for the first technical preview, Recharge is all about verticality. This map was practically made to show off the Grappleshot, with plentiful ledges for players to grab onto and use in flanking opponents. There's also an alternating Gravity Hammer and Energy Sword spawn depending on the map variant. Using the physics of the game, clever players can actually bring this weapon over to them from its plinth with a well-placed Plasma Grenade throw or Grappleshot.

Halo Infinite maps: Scarr

The second map added with the launch of Halo Infinite Season 4, Scarr is a Big Team Battle map that pulls heavily from the Banished war industry aesthetic. The presence of a special Diminisher of Hope gravity hammer encourages concentrated fighting.

Halo Infinite maps: Streets

Another Arena map that made it in at the launch of Halo Infinite. Tight streets make for fierce fighting, making this a great map for King of the Hill or Slayer.

Growing platform

Halo Infinite will continue to grow over time, with more maps added post-launch in further seasons. There'll also be a variety of weapons, vehicles, and a host of equipment from which to choose, which may also change as some are introduced to the sandbox in the seasons ahead. 343 Industries has noted that the team doesn't want to do straight-up remakes of maps, instead preferring to have "spiritual successors."

This doesn't mean remakes can't happen in other ways, with 343 Industries releasing a remake of The Pit from Halo 3 using Forge. 

Progression is garnered through the different Battle Passes across different seasons, but there's no fear of missing out to be found. 343 Industries confirms that every Halo Infinite Battle Pass will always be available in the game, and players who take a break can choose what to put their experience towards first, so you're not missing a ton of cool cosmetics.

Halo Infinite is currently available for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, and PC. The multiplayer portion of the game is completely free to play on all platforms and supports 120 FPS on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.

What you need to know

• A new Halo Infinite leak has surfaced that strongly suggests Firefight, Halo's fan-favorite wave defense horde mode, is coming to the game in the future.
• The leak includes screenshots of Firefight's settings menus, along with reports about how it will work.
• According to the leak, Halo infinite's version of Firefight will allow players to create custom waves and maps with Forge mode placements and scripts. Players will also be able to add AI spawns to other multiplayer modes.
• Players will be able to play the default Firefight experience on a map set in the large arena from the House of Reckoning campaign level, and "probably" in the rest of Halo Infinite's multiplayer maps as well.
• Late last year, 343 Industries expressed its plan to explore adding campaign AI to the Forge mapmaking tool. The addition of Firefight with these customization options seems like a progression of that plan.

Is the popular wave defense horde mode Firefight coming to Halo Infinite? It's a question that fans of Halo's PvE experiences have been asking ever since the game came out in late 2021, though unfortunately, Microsoft and 343 Industries haven't yet given a concrete answer. However, a new leak has surfaced that suggests Firefight is on the way.

Shown by the widely known leaker Bathrobe Spartan on Twitter, the leak includes screenshots of in-game settings menus for Firefight as well as Bathrobe Spartan's own findings. According to their report, Halo Infinite's Firefight will allow players to create their own maps and choose which AI enemies will spawn and where with the Forge mapmaking tool, with support for tweaking the appearance of weapons and AI as well as scripting custom encounters. You'll also be able to revive your teammates if they go down, similar to the way you can in the Attrition multiplayer mode.

Beyond Firefight, Bathrobe Spartan says that players will be able to add AI to all Halo Infinite multiplayer game types. If true, this would mean it'd be possible to build custom PvPvE experiences similar to Halo 5: Guardians' Warzone mode, in which AI enemies would attack both teams of players. To speculate, you might even be able to assign specific groups of AI to a team, turning them into allies that will fight alongside you.

What if you don't want to make your own Firefight maps and encounters and simply want to jump into a game? Bathrobe Spartan says that the large combat arena from the House of Reckoning campaign level is being repurposed into a space for Firefight, and that the mode will also "probably be on the existing multiplayer maps."  Also, since an "Override Map AI Placements" setting can be seen in the leak's screenshots, it's likely that each map will feature default AI spawns.

While every leak should be taken with a grain of salt, Bathrobe Spartan's screenshots look very real, and their previous reports have turned out to be correct in the past. Plus, developer 343 Industries confirmed its interest in adding Halo Infinite campaign AI to Forge late last year, so it's not surprising that it would opt to add the highly requested Firefight mode in full.

Sadly, Bathrobe Spartan didn't have any release date information to share, so it's unclear when Firefight will actually make its way to Halo Infinite. Still — assuming the leak is legit — PvE players finally have something to look forward to.

This news comes just after the arrival of Halo Infinite Season 4, which added the Infection game mode along with two new maps and sandbox items. The Halo Infinite campaign is available with any tier of Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass service, and its multiplayer is free-to-play on both Xbox and Windows PC.

What you need to know

• Halo Infinite Season 4 is set to begin in June 2023. 
• Developer 343 Industries has confirmed that the long-anticipated Infection mode will be coming with the fourth season. 
• There will also be a new Career Progression System coming in Season 4.

While 343 Industries' latest entry in the Halo franchise didn't launch with some iconic modes, one widely-requested experience is finally on the way. 

343 Industries shared on Friday that Halo Infinite will be getting Infection mode, a staple of the series that first originated in Halo 3, where it became a huge part of the online experience. Since then, it's been a part of every Halo game as a launch mode (though it was changed a bit for Halo 4 with a Flood theme) until Halo Infinite. Now, players in Halo Infinite will be able to enjoy Infection when Season 4 kicks off on June 20, 2023. 

343 Industries also confirmed that a new Career Progression Mode will be coming, though there aren't a huge number of details available at this time. 

While prior seasons of Halo Infinite extended on for several months as content was delayed, the team appears be staying on track going from Season 3 to Season 4, with the former season having kicked off back on March 7, 2023. 

Windows Central's take

I obviously wish this had been present in Halo Infinite at or shortly after launch, but I'm glad it's finally here. I've had a huge amount of fun with Infection through the years, and I still remember playing that mode together with my friends and family whenever Double Experience Weekends would roll around in Halo 3.

Update, May 10: This patch is now available. It's roughly 5GB on all platforms. For players on Xbox, you can manually enable the new FPS counter by going to Settings, then to Gameplay.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries shared a preview of what's coming in the next update for Halo Infinite. 
• The Disruptor is being tuned so it's a bit easier to use, while several bugs across different modes of the game are being fixed. 
• The Xbox versions of the game are getting an FPS counter, which is intended primarily to help Forge users make higher-quality maps. 

The next update for Halo Infinite is on the way, and there's a few key things for players to note. 

343 Industries shared a preview of the Halo Infinite update on Friday, detailing several bug fixes and balance changes that will be taking effect once the update is applied on May 10, 2023. Notably, the Disruptor is getting a rework so that it's simpler to use, losing damage over time but gaining increased rate of fire and supercombine damage. 

Spike grenades are also being tweaked to encourage more careful usage, with the developers increasing the number of spikes shot out, but reducing the area-of-effect damage. 

Ranked King of the Hill players can look forward to the Hill spawning in much faster, in order to improve the flow of a game's start and make players more thoughtful early on.

In addition to a few different stability improvements and Forge-specific bug fixes that should make any kind of crashes less frequent, players on Xbox consoles will be getting FPS counters. This counter is primarily intended for Forge users, allowing them to closely monitor the performance of a map as they build it in order to ensure that it remains a smooth experience.

Windows Central's take

Overall this seems like a solid update. Bug fixes are always appreciate, and an FPS counter should be included as standard on any first-person shooter, so that's a great addition. Outside of this patch, I'm also hopeful the next season launches on time, bringing much-needed improvement to the speed at which this game is getting new maps and modes.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries' Lead Forge Designer Michael Schorr has announced that since Forge Mode launched in November 2022, over 1 million creations have been made with it.
• Additionally, over 8.5 million custom game matches have been played using the Custom Game Browser, a tool that allows players to host and join multiplayer lobbies for Forge maps.
• Schorr also revealed that Halo Infinite's new Community Collection Forge matchmaking playlist has been the most popular one since the game's 2021 launch.
• In the future, 343 plans to improve Forge by adding a new minigame mode and "new map budget categories."

Halo Infinite's Forge Mode became an instant hit when it launched in November 2022 in the game's Winter Update, as its advanced mapmaking capabilities are a huge step up from what was possible in previous iterations of the level editing and creation tool. Players have been churning out tons of high-quality maps, prefab structures, and more with Forge since its release, and thanks to a new blog post from 343 Industries' Lead Forge Designer Michael Schorr, we know exactly how busy the community has been.

In the article, Schorr reveals that as of January 2, 2023, over 1 million creations have been forged in the mode since the Winter Update. Additionally, a whopping 8.5 million+ matches have been played using Halo Infinite's Custom Game Browser, a feature added in December that allows fans to host, search for, and join custom games on Forge maps.

Notably, Schorr also stated that Halo Infinite's Forge matchmaking playlist, Community Collection, has been the most popular new playlist in matchmaking since the original launch of Halo Infinite multiplayer in late 2021. In it, players can currently enjoy four of the most highly rated community-made Arena maps, though it's been confirmed that the playlist will "continue to be updated with even more community content in the future."

343 Industries' developers have plans to improve and expand Forge Mode itself, too. Schorr says that a new Forge minigame mode and "new map budget categories to help support your creativity" are on the way, and ahead of Forge's November 2022 launch, the studio confirmed it was working to add campaign AI spawns to Forge.

This news comes days before the launch of Halo Infinite Season 3, which will bring a new 100-tier Battle Pass, a Big Team Battle map, two Arena maps, and a Gun Game-style mode called Extraction Slayer. The season is also introducing a pair of new sandbox items: the smoke grenade-like Shroud Screen equipment and the M392 Bandit, a scopeless version of Halo: Reach's DMR. 

What you need to know

• Halo Infinite developer 343 Industries has released a new trailer for the game's third season, Echoes Within.
• The trailer shows several high-tech cosmetics from Season 3's 100-tier Battle Pass, a new Big Team Battle map, two new Arena maps, a new fan-made Forge map that might come to the game's Forge matchmaking playlist, and a Gun Game-style mode called Extraction Slayer.
• The trailer also includes snippets of Season 3's narrative cutscenes, in which Spartan Dinh from Season 2 is presumably "infected" by the Banished AI Iratus. Iratus appears to take control of his armor and body, which may hint at the arrival of the Infection mode or the PvE Extraction mode that was previously leaked.

Ahead of its scheduled arrival on March 7, a trailer for Halo Infinite's third season, Echoes Within, has been shared by developer 343 Industries. In it, fans are given a first look at the content additions coming to the game with Season 3, along with hints about its narrative content. You can watch it in the embed below.

First up: cosmetics. Like earlier seasons, Season 3 will feature a new 100-tier Battle Pass filled with customization items for players to earn and equip on their Spartans. While the trailer didn't show off a ton of these unlocks, the ones that can be seen appear to be very high-tech in nature, with lots of visible wires, holograms, and other fancy gear. These armor unlocks will likely be attached to a new armor core or two, as previous ones have been.

Secondly, the trailer shows off three new maps: a large, relatively flat, and sandy Big Team Battle battleground called Oasis that seems to have an emphasis on vehicle combat, an Arena map named Cliffhanger set at a UNSC facility surrounded by multiple huge boulders, and a narrow Forerunner-themed arena called Chasm with two floors and a massive abyss beneath the map's center bridge. A fan-made Forge map with toy-sized players that's themed after the author's dormitory called Art's Room can also be seen, suggesting that it will be added to Halo Infinite's new Forge matchmaking playlist.

Season 3 is also bringing a game mode from Halo: The Master Chief Collection called Escalation Slayer to Halo Infinite. Players essentially play the classic minigame Gun Game in this mode, as when they score kills, they're given instant access to a new weapon. It seems that they'll occasionally get a fresh Equipment piece, too, as in the video, you can see a player's Repulsor get replaced with a Grappleshot after they get an Overkill.

Additionally, throughout the trailer, the use of two new sandbox items can be seen: the Shroud Screen and the M392 Bandit. The former is an Equipment piece that creates an opaque vision-blocking bubble when used, similar to how smoke grenades work in Counter-Strike and Valorant. The latter is essentially a heavy-hitting DMR from Halo: Reach, but without a scope. Compared to other precision rifles in Halo Infinite like the Battle Rifle and the VK78 Commando, it seems that the M392 Bandit is geared towards close-quarters combat since it doesn't come with a sight of any kind.

At the start and the end of the trailer, teases for Season 3's story can also be observed. Spartan Dinh and the Banished AI Iratus from Season 2 are returning, and based on the cutscenes shown, it looks like Iratus will manage to "infect" Dinh and successfully take control of his armor and body. Some speculate that this could result in the return of the fan-favorite Halo gametype Infection or the introduction of the leaked Extraction PvE mode, but we won't know for sure until the developers share more.

Overall, the trailer and its contents were surprisingly awesome. I haven't been impressed with many of Halo Infinite's live service offerings since it launched in late 2021, but these new maps look great, and I'm happy to see Extraction Slayer come to Infinite since it's a blast to play in MCC. New sandbox items should help keep gameplay fresh, too, and if an Extraction mode is coming, PvE fans like me will finally have something new to enjoy. Things are even looking up on the story side, as the cutscene snippets in the trailer look vastly better than what we got in Season 2.

Halo Infinite is available now on Xbox and PC. Despite its issues, it's one of the best Xbox shooters on the market right now for fans of arena-style FPS combat, and since the multiplayer is free-to-play, there's zero barrier to entry. The campaign is fantastic, too, as it features exhilarating gameplay and an excellent story.

What you need to know

• A surprise Halo Infinite update has arrived, kicking off a new free event called Noble Intention and adding a new Forge playlist to matchmaking.
• The event is based on Halo: Reach concept characters Rosenda-A344 and Thom-A293, and allows players to earn their armor as well as additional armor pieces, coatings, and a new pose from Noble Intention's 10-tier event pass.
• The Forge playlist, meanwhile, features four community-made Forge Arena maps: Perilous, Starboard, Salvation, and Absolution.
• Noble Intention is slated to last until February 21, giving players two weeks to earn the event's rewards.

Update 2:41 p.m. ET: Previously, we reported that the update only added a Forge playlist to matchmaking, as a Halo Infinite technical issue prevented the Noble Intention event from appearing properly in-game. We've since updated the article with the event's details.

A surprise Halo Infinite update has begun a new free event titled Noble Intention, complete with a 10-tier event pass that players can earn a variety of new rewards from. The event has been paired with a Community Collection playlist in matchmaking that includes several Forge maps made by the game's community.

Since it launched with the Winter Update in late 2022, Halo Infinite's Forge level editing and creation tool has taken the game's community by storm. Fans have been hard at work creating incredible maps, with many asking developer 343 Industries for a matchmaking playlist that features the best of them. Now, that wish has been granted.

The playlist features the Slayer, Strongholds, Oddball, King of the Hill, CTF, and One Flag CTF Arena modes across a variety of community-made maps, including Perilous, Starboard, Salvation, and Absolution. Perilous is an overgrown UNSC facility that gets players right into the action with a layout that evokes Halo 3's Guardian, while Starboard is a beautifully detailed UNSC-themed reimagination of the classic three-lane map Midship. Salvation is a Banished and Forerunner-themed remake of the popular Halo: Combat Evolved map Damnation, and Absolution is an original stage inspired by the aesthetic of the Delta Halo location from the Halo 2 campaign. You can see images of the maps below.

The Noble Intention event itself is themed after two conceptual characters for Halo: Reach: Rosenda-A344 and Thom-A293 (the latter appeared in the fan-favorite Deliver Hope trailer). By completing gameplay challenges and accruing XP during Noble Intention, players can earn armor kits that look exactly like the MJOLNIR suits worn by Rosenda and Thom. Several Recon and CDO armor pieces, Rosenda and Thom-inspired armor coatings, and a new Noble Rose pose are available from the event pass as well. These rewards will remain accessible until February 21, which is when Noble Intention ends.

Overall, it's great to see the Halo Infinite devs spotlight some of the best Forge maps that the community has made thus far, and the new cosmetics added in this event are great, too. I do wish that a wider variety of levels and alternative game modes were included in the Forge playlist, though. Some of the most popular maps made with Forge so far have been ones developed for hilarious and unique minigames, such as the amazing Digletts whack-a-mole mode inspired by Pokemon. Perhaps 343 will create a social playlist for maps and modes like this in the future.

Halo Infinite is available now on Xbox and PC. Despite its issues, it's one of the best Xbox shooters on the market right now for fans of arena-style FPS combat, and since the multiplayer is free-to-play, there's zero barrier to entry. The campaign is fantastic, too, as it features exhilarating gameplay and an excellent story.

What you need to know

• A new report has detailed how 343 Industries is restructuring the Halo franchise following recent Microsoft layoffs. Reportedly, at least 95 developers were affected by the cuts.
• Notably, Halo is moving to Epic Games' Unreal Engine. Sources familiar with Halo Infinite's development have reported that its engine, Slipspace, caused many issues for developers due to its aging code. This includes the delay of multiplayer modes like Extraction and Assault.
• The first project built on Unreal will be "Project Tatanka," a codenamed game being developed by both 343 and Certain Affinity. Originally, Tatanka was believed to be a battle royale mode for Halo Infinite.
• 343 has also paused the active development of campaign-style story content for the time being. Developers were prototyping and pitching new Unreal-based Halo projects, but many of those developers have been cut.

Microsoft recently revealed its plans to layoff over 10,000 employees earlier this month amid turbulent economic conditions, and amongst those affected the most were the developers at 343 Industries. At least 95 people have been cut from the Halo development studio, leaving many concerned about the future of both the flagship Xbox franchise and the company itself. Not long ago, Studio Head Pierre Hintze attempted to assuage fears by confidently asserting that Halo is "here to stay" at 343 Industries.

However, a new report has revealed that while the Halo series will remain in 343's hands, both the franchise and its developer are currently undergoing a massive reorganization. The most significant part of this process is a shift to a new game engine — an array of tools necessary to create games like Halo. 343's in-house Slipspace Engine is described as "buggy and difficult to use," owing to the fact that it's founded on code from the 1990s and 2000s era. Sources familiar with the creation of Halo Infinite, the latest Halo title, have said that issues with the Slipspace Engine have caused several development problems, including the delay of multiplayer modes like Extraction and Assault.

As a result of the Slipspace woes, 343 is moving to the popular Unreal Engine instead. Published by Epic Games Inc., the Unreal Engine is used by countless game developers around the world, and is expected to be a significantly less difficult tool for Halo's stewards to work with. Reportedly, the decision to switch to the new engine wasn't made until 343's previous Studio Head Bonnie Ross and Engine Lead David Berger left the company and Pierre Hintze took the reigns. 343's first release with Unreal will be a game codenamed Project Tatanka, a project originally believed to be a Halo Infinite battle royale mode that the studio is co-developing with Certain Affinity. Tatanka may still be a battle royale-type experience, though it may also "evolve in different directions."

Windows Central is able to corroborate the report about the move to Unreal, as sources familiar with the situation have been in contact. Internally, there was a fierce tug-of-war over the change, with one camp of developers desiring the switch and another arguing that Halo should remain on Slipspace. Often, different development teams were bound by entirely separate non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), preventing active communication and collaboration. Notably, we've heard unconfirmed reports that Microsoft has a prototype of Halo Infinite's popular Forge Mode mapmaking tool running in Unreal. We've also heard that the Slipspace build of Project Tatanka hasn't been updated since early December, which lends weight to the notion that it's moving to Unreal. Ultimately, though, it will be difficult to get full confirmation until 343 communicates this news officially.

343 has also paused all development of future Halo story content, according to the report. Many developers were working on pitches and Unreal Engine prototypes for new Halo games rather than Halo Infinite missions, but many of them were cut in Microsoft's ongoing layoffs. As a result, 343 isn't actively working on new campaign-style projects. It appears that Halo will focus on multiplayer experiences moving forward, at least for now. Windows Central can confirm that there are no plans to "kill" Halo Infinite between now and the release of Project Tatanka, and that Halo Infinite will continue with new planned releases such as the upcoming Season 3: Echoes Within on March 7.

Former 343 developers claimed that Microsoft "set Halo up for failure" in scathing reactions to the recent layoffs, citing poor management and leadership. "The layoffs at 343 shouldn't have happened and Halo Infinite should be in a better state. The reason for both of those things is incompetent leadership up top during Halo Infinite development causing massive stress on those working hard to make Halo the best it can be," said Respawn's Patrick Wren, who previously worked at 343 Industries on Halo Infinite as Senior Multiplayer Designer. "The people I worked every day with were passionate about Halo and wanted to make something great for the fans. They helped push for a better Halo and got laid off for it."

Recently, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said that "the heart and soul of Halo is with 343," and that both Halo and 343 "will remain critical to what Xbox is doing." According to the aforementioned report, Hintze wrote in an email to staff that moving forward, 343 will build “a robust live offering” for Halo Infinite, with plans to support its "new tech stack” for future titles while “bringing Halo to more players through more platforms than ever before.”

Windows Central's take

As a hardcore fan of Halo's campaign content, the news that we likely won't get any more of it for a long, long time is extremely disheartening. While I understand that 343 needs to prioritize what keeps the lights on amid volatile economic conditions and devastating layoffs, the gameplay, story, and lore of its campaigns is what initially drew me into this wonderful sci-fi universe. Halo Infinite's campaign was phenomenal — easily one of the best shooter experiences in recent years — and the game's exceptional reception at launch proves that I'm not the only player that thought so. How long will it be until it gets the follow-up it deserves? Will we even see the Master Chief and other beloved characters before 2030? 

As for the overall situation, all fans like myself can do is hope that things will eventually get better with new leadership and a more intuitive development engine. Based on what Windows Central has heard from people familiar with development processes, the image of 343 under Bonnie Ross appeared to be one of chaos and rivalries, with various teams united only by their love and passion for the Halo franchise. It seems that the studio lacked a unifying voice and cohesive singular direction that only came with Halo veteran Joseph Staten. Reportedly, though, Staten has returned to Xbox Publishing, leaving the future of both Halo and 343 itself uncertain.

What you need to know

• Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has addressed concerns about the future of the Halo franchise and its developer, 343 Industries, in a new interview.
• Spencer says that he believes 343 delivered "a great Halo game" with Halo Infinite, acknowledging that there were "missteps we made as a team."
• He also reaffirmed that "the heart and soul of Halo is with 343," and that both Halo and 343 "will remain critical to what Xbox is doing."
• Moving forward, Spencer is focused on "continuing to support and grow Halo," making sure that 343 is "set up to succeed."

Earlier this month, Microsoft announced that it plans to axe over 10,000 jobs between January and March 31 in 2023, with many layoffs already taking place amid volatile economic conditions and a looming recession. Those impacted by the cuts include several developers under the Xbox Game Studios banner, such as The Coalition, Bethesda Game Studios, and 343 Industries. 343, which develops Halo games like Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Halo Infinite, was hit particularly hard by the layoffs. The studio reportedly lost over 60 of its developers, many of which were part of its campaign team.

In the wake of the cuts, Microsoft has faced intense criticism from former 343 developers, several of which have claimed that the firm's poor management "set Halo up for failure" and contributed to the weak position that Halo Infinite finds itself in over a year after its launch. Despite assurances from 343 that "Halo is here to stay," many fans have also expressed concerns about the future of the studio and Halo itself.

In a new interview, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer addressed the growing uncertainty, discussing the state of Halo Infinite and 343's future as the franchise's steward.

"I thought it [Halo Infinite] was fantastic. Obviously, we're talking about the following year, and I think there are some missteps that we made as a team, absolutely. But I don't want to take away from the fact that the team did a really good job delivering a great Halo game ... at the same time, when we launched that game, we know we needed to make some commitments to people about the content updates and our timing on those and the quality, and we didn't hit our own bar for doing that," Spencer said. "I believe in the team that's there, Pierre and the leadership team, and the plan that they have. Obviously, he's [343 Studio Head Pierre Hintze] the studio head now, [and] has been on Halo for a long time. He's worked on [Halo: The Master Chief Collection], he's done some great work there. The team has a very good plan."

"What we're doing now is we want to make sure that leadership team is set up with the flexibility to build the plan that they need to go build. And Halo will remain critically important to what Xbox is doing, and 343 is critically important to the success of Halo," Spencer continued. "The heart and soul of Halo is with 343 and the team that's there, and I have the utmost confidence in the team that's there and leading and the plan that they have going forward."

When asked about the publicly announced 10-year live service plan for Halo Infinite, Spencer said that he'd defer to the developers at 343, and that Microsoft's focus will be giving the studio the support it needs.

"I'm going to let 343 talk about the plans that they have right now, that people know they have the next season that's coming up, and they're excited about that. They've got some other things, some rumored, some announced, that they'll be working on. They're excited about the plan forward," said Spencer. "I look at, say, the work that they've done on Forge and the amazing support we've had from creators there. The timeline for Halo...Halo is always going to be one of those things in my mind that is part of Xbox lore, part of the foundation of what Xbox is about."

"I expect that we'll be continuing to support and grow Halo for as long as the Xbox is a platform for people to play," he continued. "So I think the timeline goes on and on in line with Xbox, and I want to make sure the team's set up to succeed with that."

Halo Infinite has begun looking up in recent months, with the recent launch of the Forge mapmaking tool and the early release of the Custom Games Browser breathing new life into the struggling live service shooter. The introduction of a red reticle for Windows PC players and basic cross-core armor coating customization was also a pleasant surprise. The game's next season, Season 3: Echoes Within, is slated to arrive on March 7, 2023.

What you need to know

• Microsoft recently announced mass layoffs at the company, and Halo developer 343 Industries was reportedly heavily impacted.
• The sudden layoffs sparked rampant speculation on the now-shaky future of the Halo franchise under 343i.
• On Saturday, 343i studio head Pierre Hintze released a public statement that "Halo and Master Chief are here to stay."
• The incredibly short statement goes on to say that 343i will "continue to develop Halo now and in the future."

The future of the Halo franchise, one of Xbox's most legendary gaming IPs, has been a subject of much debate on the internet after it was revealed that Halo developer 343 Industries was heavily impacted by Microsoft's recent layoff announcements. On Saturday, studio head Pierre Hintze attempted to assuage concerns with a short public statement on the topic.

The public statement, posted to the Halo Twitter account and accredited to Hintze, simply reads: "Halo and Master Chief are here to stay. 343 Industries will continue to develop Halo now and in the future, including epic stories, multiplayer, and more of what makes Halo great."

Microsoft announced earlier last week its intention to cut 10,000 jobs before March 31, 2023, with a plethora of the company's teams being affected by the aggressive reorganization. Included in the layoffs are multiple Xbox studios like Bethesda Game Studios, The Coalition, and 343 Industries. Of the three, 343i has reportedly been hit the hardest, with between 60 and 130 layoffs drastically reducing the studio's workforce in addition to a long-running exodus of contractors and a hiring freeze.

The sudden cuts to 343i, as well as the return of Halo Infinite creative head Joseph Staten to Xbox Publishing, led to a widespread backlash from ex-Halo developers, affected employees, and the Halo community. There was heavy speculation that Microsoft had lost faith in 343i to run Halo, and that the franchise's future, at least under the studio, may be in jeopardy. Hintze's public statement on Saturday attempts to refute those rumors by assuring fans that the Halo franchise is alive and well and is "here to stay" under 343 Industries.

The response from the Halo fanbase has been mixed, to say the least. While Halo Infinite was generally well received at launch and can still be considered as one of Xbox's best games for shooter fans, inconsistent messaging, live service pitfalls, and a slow drip of new content has undoubtedly damaged the game's reputation. Many Halo fans are dissatisfied with the undetailed, scarcely worded statement that does little to actually address community feedback or criticism, while others blame leadership at 343i for irrevocably harming the Halo franchise (and therefore would rather see the IP in another studio's hands).

Windows Central's take

Halo Infinite is indubitably a flawed video game, but it's one that I nonetheless greatly enjoy playing. Its single-player campaign is excellent, and the multiplayer had an amazing foundation from the beginning — it's the ongoing live service elements that have failed to keep up with industry or player expectations. I feel bad for the talented, passionate developers at 343i who have either been laid off unceremoniously, or simply want to make Halo the best it can possibly be but can't do to overhead decisions.

343 Industries is populated by fantastic people that love Halo; If anything is to blame for the state of Halo in 2023, it's widespread mismanagement at the leadership level that extends years into the past. I hope to see Halo Infinite, and the franchise as a whole, continue to expand and improve over time, and I hope that Microsoft invests in 343i to make that happen. It's good that the studio chose to publicly address concerns with a statement, but I would have preferred to see a firmer, more confident message rather than a vague, two-sentence assurance that the Halo franchise isn't dead.

What you need to know

• Microsoft recently announced its intent to lay off 10,000 of its employees between now and March 31, 2023. 
• So far, Halo Infinite developer 343 Industries has been hit particularly hard by these cuts, and has lost over 60 of its employees.
• Former 343 Industries developers have voiced scathing criticisms of Microsoft's leadership and management policies on social media after details about the layoffs came to light.
• The layoffs come after Microsoft reported $198 billion in 2022 revenue and as it continues its efforts to acquire Activision-Blizzard for $69 billion.

Update 1/21/23 at 7:58 p.m. ET: A thread from known Halo leaker Bathrobe Spartan suggests that 343 Industries is losing one-third of its workforce, or more than 130 employees. Additionally, the rumor says that as a result of this, the studio plans to halt development of singleplayer campaign-style content for Halo Infinite and Halo in general for the foreseeable future. 

Bathrobe Spartan concludes that moving forward, 343 Industries will coordinate additional updates for Halo Infinite's multiplayer while continuing to outsource the game to partner studios like SkyBox Labs, Sperasoft, and Certain Affinity. Supposedly, these layoffs will not affect Halo Infinite's planned content releases, such as the expected launch of Season 3: Echoes Within on March 7, 2023.

We are not able to confirm that the information from this thread is accurate at the time of writing, and sources familiar with Windows Central have said that no singleplayer DLC plans were cancelled because none ever “existed beyond conversations.” 343 Industries Studio Head Pierre Hintz has also since posted a response via Halo’s official Twitter account. “Halo and Master Chief are here to stay,” he wrote. ”343 Industries will continue to develop Halo now and in the future, including epic stories, multiplayer, and more of what makes Halo great.”

Our original story is below.

With the onset of volatile economic conditions and a recession looming, several major tech firms like Amazon, Alphabet, and Meta have laid off thousands of workers. Yesterday, Microsoft announced its intent to do the same with a plan to cut 10,000 employees from the company between now and March 31, 2023. These layoffs have impacted a wide variety of teams underneath Microsoft's banner, including the Xbox gaming division and its developers. So far, affected studios include 343 Industries, The Coalition, and Bethesda Games Studios.

As more details about the layoffs have come to light from industry sources such as former 343i developer Che Chou, it's become clear that 343 Industries in particular was "hit hard" by the cuts. Chou commented that over 60 employees were laid off from the studio, with Bloomberg reporting that the developer's campaign team was affected significantly.

Since its launch in late 2021, the latest game from the developer, Halo Infinite, has struggled to support its free-to-play live service model with a steady stream of content and adequate solutions for the title's technical issues. In the wake of the recent layoffs, multiple former 343 Industries employees have come forward with scathing criticisms of Microsoft's leadership and management policies, arguing that both Halo Infinite and 343 Industries would be in better positions were it not for "incompetent leadership.”

"The layoffs at 343 shouldn't have happened and Halo Infinite should be in a better state. The reason for both of those things is incompetent leadership up top during Halo Infinite development causing massive stress on those working hard to make Halo the best it can be," wrote Respawn's Patrick Wren, who worked at 343 Industries on Halo Infinite as Senior Multiplayer Designer. "The people I worked every day with were passionate about Halo and wanted to make something great for the fans. They helped push for a better Halo and got laid off for it."

Bloomberg's Jason Schreier noted in a Tweet that the grievances aired by Wren echo much of what he's heard from other Halo developers.

Update 1/21/23 at 10:35 a.m. ET: Wren made additional comments in a follow-up thread, clarifying his intent and explaining the rationale behind his statements.

"I was mad that friends and ex-colleagues were hurt due to a road of choices that led to this outcome outside their control. I felt like I had to say something, even if that did potentially risk opportunities for me in the future," he wrote. "The point wasn't to shit talk, but to finally call out the lack of accountability and how that affected others."

Another Halo developer that now works on Apex Legends at Respawn, Tyler Owens, also expressed frustration at management. "As a Halo fan I'm really tired of Microsoft business practices & policies slowly killing the thing I love," he said. "Between the contracting policies they abuse for tax incentives & layoffs in the face of gigantic profits/executive bonuses...they set Halo up for failure."

Others have zeroed in on Microsoft's reliance on and treatment of contractors specifically. "Don't forget the heavy reliance on contractors/vendors and that messed up system (though I know that's more MS)," commented Nicholas Bird, a former developer that worked on Halo Infinite. "I would have loved to stay on the team if I could of [have] and worked my way up. Still one of my favorite jobs I have been at." Wren replied to Bird in agreement: "The contract stuff is a whole other can of worms that pisses me off. So many amazing people and talent that just disappeared.”

"Having been wrung through that contractor cycle for nearly 6 years, it always felt like being gaslit to hear how much leadership cared about us & our opinions but seldom invited it where it felt like it would do the most good to make a difference & we'd get conciliatory inaction," wrote Zara Varin, a former 343 Industries Artist and Consumer Products Asset Coordinator.

Update 1/21/23 at 8:39 p.m. ET: Morgan Lockhart, a former Halo 4 and 5 developer, has  written a Twitter thread describing 343 Industries and the "harmful cultural issues" she observed at the studio.

"I will lend to the voices saying that 343 Industries had deeply entrenched, harmful cultural issues ... I recently had a significant trauma/panic response because of my time there. I continue to grapple with the damage every day," Lockhart said. "It's hard to undersell the feelings I have of 'lost time,' and what it has taken to get back what my years there took from me with respect to psychological safety, trusting others, trust in the industry, and most deeply, trust & confidence in myself."

Michael Byron, a Senior Producer with Meta Reality Labs, echoed Lockhart's words. "Morgan has a great take on how I felt upon my departure," he wrote. "I know many people express this exact sentiment once they left."

The layoffs at 343 Industries, as well as cuts at The Coalition, Bethesda Game Studios, and all of Microsoft, come after a report from the firm that it raked in $198 billion in revenue in 2022. CEO Satya Nadella also took home a $54.9 million dollar compensation package last year. Notably, Microsoft also continues its efforts to complete its $69 billion acquisition of Activision-Blizzard as various organizations scrutinize the deal and either throw their weight behind it or seek to stop it from closing.

For fans of the flagship Xbox franchise, news of these cuts couldn't have come at a worse time. By all accounts, things were finally starting to look up for Halo Infinite, as the arrival of the highly anticipated Forge mapmaking tool brought a flood of community-created content to the game. Additionally, the early release of the Custom Games Browser tool was a pleasant surprise for many, as was the introduction of red reticle for Windows PC players and simple cross-core armor coating customization. However, these layoffs, as well as reports that Head of Creative Joseph Staten has returned to Xbox Publishing after 343 Industries "made the difficult decision to restructure," leave the future of the game feeling uncertain.

What you need to know

• Ahead of its Q2 FY23 earnings report, Microsoft announced its intention to lay off 10,000 employees across the company.
• New information has come to light that multiple Xbox studios have been impacted by the layoffs.
• Employees are reportedly being laid off at Bethesda Games Studios, The Coalition, and 343 Industries.
• 343i is especially impacted, with Halo Infinite Head of Creative Joseph Staten reportedly returning to Xbox Publishing.

Changing economic climates and an impending recession have led to thousands of jobs being lost across a multitude of tech and media companies. Microsoft is the latest company to announce mass layoffs, and new information reveals that multiple key Xbox studios are being affected, including Bethesda Game Studios, 343 Industries, and The Coalition.

Earlier on Wednesday, Microsoft confirmed earlier reports by announcing its intention to layoff 10,000 employees across the company, starting today and throughout the end of its Q3 FY23 period ending March 31, 2023. Additional information from sources like Kotaku and industry insiders like Jason Schreier have provided more details on which parts of Microsoft have been negatively impacted by these layoffs.

While only representing less than 5% of Microsoft's massive global workforce, 10,000 employees across a number of divisions and teams are sadly losing their positions at Microsoft. Included are a number of employees at Bethesda Game Studios, the developer behind the upcoming sci-fi RPG Starfield, The Coalition, the developer behind the Gears of War series, and 343 Industries, the developer behind Halo Infinite.

Exact numbers aren't available for the amount of layoffs at each studio, nor is it clear if and how their in-progress projects are affected, but any amount of loss may be concerning. Bethesda Game Studios is in the process of finalizing Starfield, its most ambitious game of all time, while also continuing early work on the next installment in the Elder Scrolls franchise. The Coalition is reportedly working on the next Gears title and an unannounced new IP.

Of the three studios, however, it seems that 343 Industries may have been affected the most. The developer has reportedly been afflicted with a long-running hiring freeze during an exodus of contractors who worked on Halo Infinite; now, it seems that the studio has been "hit hard" by these layoffs, according to Schreier. Despite a strong foundation, Halo Infinite is considered to have been "mismanaged" at launch with a paltry amount of content and a failure by 343i to address the community's concerns. While the game is in a far better state than it was at release, it's clear that Halo Infinite's reputation among gamers has yet to fully recover, possibly contributing to the announced layoffs at the studio.

Update (10:30 PM ET): Che Chou, who worked at 343i for 5 years, noted on Mastodon that over 60 people from 343i have been cut today.

One major loss for 343 Industries that has been confirmed, however, is the departure of Head of Creative Joseph Staten, who joined the Halo Infinite team in late 2020 to help right the troubled ship and guide the game toward launch. Staten is reportedly leaving 343i to rejoin Xbox Publishing, ending his tenure on the Halo Infinite team. While not a layoff, Staten's departure is occurring alongside everything else happening at 343i. It's unknown how Microsoft's flagship FPS will be affected by the change in leadership.

The layoffs at the studios behind some of the best Xbox games arrive in the wake of Microsoft's ongoing attempts to acquire games publisher Activision Blizzard in a landmark deal worth nearly $69 billion, which would see a workforce of nearly 10,000 join the company. The deal has drawn seemingly endless controversy across the internet, with multiple organizations and groups either decrying the deal or throwing their support behind it. In recent news, a major European trade organization has backed the Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

Windows Central's take

The last few months have been rife with layoff announcements from several companies across multiple industries, with tens of thousands of employees impacted. While the global economic climate is gradually shifting downward and resulting in new challenges for companies to overcome, everyday people are the ones most affected. 10,000 employees across Microsoft are being stripped of their job security and thrown into the job pool populated by the thousands of others affected by recent layoffs at their own companies, and it's both disconcerting and concerning to see.

I understand that companies often need to make difficult decisions in order to protect themselves, sometimes at the expense of the talented individuals that form their backbone, but it seems worth criticizing Microsoft for unceremoniously laying off 10,000 employees after embarking on an aggressive hiring spree through the pandemic; especially at multiple Xbox games studios, when the company is still attempting to acquire Activision Blizzard and more-or-less replace all the jobs being cut.

It'll be months before we're able to observe the impact these layoffs will have on Microsoft and its various projects and teams. Microsoft does seem committed to providing every employee affected by the layoffs (well, based in the USA, at least) with sufficient notice, severance pay, and post-termination benefits, which is a small silver lining in the face of what will undoubtedly be extremely difficult news for a lot of people to receive in the coming months.

What you need to know

• This week, 343i director Bonnie Ross departed Microsoft after 27 years, 15 years of which were spent leading Halo's direction.
• Halo is Microsoft's iconic flagship Xbox IP, that has struggled to maintain mindshare in a competitive landscape. 
• Halo Infinite launched to critical acclaim, but the slow pace of development on its live service has left it struggling to compete with matured free to play shooters like Fortnite, Valorant, Warzone, and others. 
• A report from gaming outlet Lords of Gaming which we can corroborate independently indicates that David Berger, who led development on Halo Infinite's Slipspace Engine, is also leaving 343i. 

This past week has seen some pretty large restructuring at 343 Industries, who steward Microsoft's flagship Xbox IP Halo. After 15 years leading the shooter's direction, industry legend and Microsoft veteran Bonnie Ross revealed her departure from the team to attend family matters at home. 

Halo Infinite launched to critical acclaim, but the live service for the title has left a lot to be desired. In the wake of Halo Infinite's ongoing developmental issues, various 343i staffers have left in recent years, including previous studio lead Chris Lee. Microsoft has shored up the studio with ex-Bungie alumni, including Joseph Staten who now serves as the franchise's creative director. Earlier in the summer, veteran Halo staffer Paul Bertone also re-joined the franchise, taking up a role as the game's technical design director. Microsoft also restructured Bonnie Ross' leadership role into three separate roles, with Pierre Hintze taking up leadership of the studio, Elizabeth Van Wyck leading business and operations, and Bryan Koski, who will oversee the franchise. Today, we got confirmation that another major staffing change is hitting the developer. 

David Berger, who led development of the Slipspace Engine used by Halo Infinite, is also leaving 343i. The report comes originally from outlet Lords of Gaming, but we can confirm via our own sources that it seems to be accurate. Berger has led technical development at 343i for several years, working on Halo 4, 5, and Halo Infinite. Berger is also a veteran Microsoft director who worked on classic titles like Mechwarrior, Shadowrun, and Too Human, before taking up the reins at 343i's engineering department. 

We've reached out to Microsoft to comment on what Berger's (as of yet unconfirmed) departure may mean for Halo Infinite. 

Halo Infinite's campaign is available as part of Xbox Game Pass, with the multiplayer portion available for free on PC and Xbox Series X|S consoles. 

Halo Infinite's limited-time events are continuing on, with new cosmetics for players to collect and, new to Season 2: Lone Wolves, additional narrative beats for players who are paying attention to the ongoing story. Alpha Pack is up next.

Here's everything we know about Halo Infinite Alpha Pack, from when you can play it to the rewards being offered and more. 

Halo Infinite Alpha Pack: Release date and start time

The Halo Infinite Alpha Pack event is slated to begin on July 19, 2022, as part of Season 2: Lone Wolves. We don't have an exact time for when it will begin, but based on prior event rollouts, it's safe to expect the event to be fully live by midday.

Halo Infinite Alpha Pack will be available until August 2022, meaning players will have two weeks to participate in the event. This two-week timeframe is in line with prior Halo Infinite events. 

What is Halo Infinite Alpha Pack?

Halo Infinite Alpha Pack is a limited-time event following Fracture: Entrenched. Events in Halo Infinite run for a couple of weeks, bringing new rewards for players to earn. Because Alpha Pack isn't a Fracture event, which pulls from alternate Halo timelines and universes, the cosmetic content featured in Alpha Pack is canon to the main timeline.

Like all other events, Alpha Pack introduces a new event pass, with rewards to earn as players complete challenges. This event pass is separate from the main season pass for Season Two and is free for all players.

Halo Infinite Alpha Pack: Is there new content?

Not every event in Halo Infinite introduces new playable content, and that's the case with Alpha Pack. This event uses the Last Spartan Standing mode, which was first added at the start of Season Two. 

There is new content for anyone following the story, though. Halo Infinite Season Two introduced narrative beats to multiplayer, continuing with the Alpha Pack event. Additional cutscenes featuring the player's Spartan are being added, so be sure to watch them and catch up on the latest with the story of the Lone Wolves.

Halo Infinite Alpha Pack: Rewards list

The rewards in the Halo Infinite Alpha Pack event pass are geared towards the Rakshasa Armor Core, which is unlocked as part of the Season Two battle pass. While the full list of rewards was not revealed prior to the beginning of the event, a reliable leak shared that this is what players will be earning:

Naturally, we'll be updating this list if anything is added or revealed as the event rolls out. 

Halo Infinite's multiplayer is free to play and is available across Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One consoles, and Windows PC. Combined with the campaign, it's one of the best Xbox games available right now.

“The truth is, no one is prepared for such a situation as a manager. We had to react quickly,” Gameloft GM and CFO Alexandre de Rochefort says.

As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues, the presence of international sanctions is sending ripples across every aspect of the world, and threatens a key part of the video game industry. Meanwhile, gaming companies within Ukraine are facing the danger of violence, from indie teams, all the way up to studios under some of the largest publishers in the world. 

Ukrainian studios have, of course, responded, sharing ways to help the country out during the invasion, while companies like CD Projekt RED, 4A Games, Ubisoft, GSC Game World, and others have shared support for workers. 

Game development can be turbulent at the best of times, and many workers are trying to keep doing their jobs even with the threat of bombs and destruction around them. Whether it’s through providing a means to leave the country, or trying to keep going no matter what, game development studios directly within Ukraine are reacting as fast as possible.

The impact within Ukraine

One major company feeling the impact of this war is Gameloft, a mobile developer and publisher that operates two studios in Ukraine, one in Kharkiv and the other in Lviv. Gameloft employs 630 workers between the two studios, which amounts to almost 20% of Gameloft’s total workforce worldwide. These studios work on mobile titles like Minion Rush: Running Game.

As Gameloft’s development pipeline is entirely internal, Rochefort tells Windows Central that the company’s business has been “significantly” impacted by the war. In addition to having the development of various games disrupted, Gameloft is now missing out on sales in Russia.

Gameloft has been taking steps to help its workers, though Rochefort notes that it’s an incredibly difficult situation to tackle. At the time we spoke, only one of Gameloft’s employees had perished, but that’s one too many. Others face difficulty finding food and shelter, as supplies and apartment spaces are increasingly difficult to find.

In the 48 hours surrounding the outbreak of the war, Gameloft paid out the remaining checks for February and March in advance to its Ukrainian employees. Additionally, the company gave a bonus of €1,000 per employee, helping each with additional food, supplies, or the means to exit the country (for those who were eligible). Because Gameloft has studios in Romania, Hungary, and Bulgaria, the teams at these studios are providing logistical support for any Ukrainian employees allowed to leave the country.

Another team feeling the direct effects of the war is the Kyiv-based Frogwares, known for adventure titles like The Sinking City and its Sherlock Holmes series. In the early months of the war’s outbreak, trying to continue game development with pre-production on the studio’s next big title became “difficult beyond belief,” communications lead Sergey Oganesyan tells Windows Central.

“In terms of game production, our workforce capacity, especially in the earlier months [sic] kept shifting. Someone who was available yesterday might have their power cut off today,” Oganesyan explains.

With some staff leaving to help friends and family, and others signing up to fight in the war, Frogwares reorganized. The studio’s next game, currently codenamed Project Palianytsia, is a smaller game with a tighter scope, allowing the studio to remain flexible. This has allowed the studio to provide some support for its workers, including setting up dedicated discussion channels for sharing info with anyone that needed to leave the country.

As things have become (relatively) more stable in the past weeks, Frogwares is also providing support for any workers who return to the studio. Oganesyan notes that the studio is continuing to keep anyone fighting in the war or volunteering at humanitarian centers on payroll, and “their spots on the team will be waiting for them” if and when they choose to return.

GSC Game World, the development studio behind STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl, published a video explaining the studio's current situation. Many of the studio’s employees have lost pets and loved ones, while others now work out of compact bomb shelters. More are volunteering to serve with the Ukrainian army or humanitarian groups.

Even facing this kind of danger, the workers still in Ukraine are enduring. Gameloft’s Lviv studio isn’t facing the same imminent threats as the Kharkiv office, and as such, the former is being transformed into a living space for any workers unable or unwilling to leave the country. Workers can sleep, wash clothes, and cook food with equipment Gameloft management has purchased. Rochefort notes that morale remains high, and that the team is remaining in contact with the rest of Gameloft via newsletters.

The teams in Ukraine are still working by their own request, and at around 70% of their previous productivity rate, with Rochefort noting that they wanted to continue working on their own projects, even if at a slowed pace.

“We’ve been really humbled by the courage and composure of our teams in Ukraine,” Rochefort says.

Impact that ripples across the entire world

As dozens of companies across the world are pulling out of Russia, a chunk of the gaming industry has been completely disrupted. This war is threatening many of the support efforts in the industry, a network that is already being strained beyond capacity due to the lingering effects of the pandemic.

Frogwares confirmed that the company used to work with teams located in Russia for external development support. Since the outbreak of the war, these relationships have been terminated, though the studio declined to explain exactly which companies it was no longer working with for the sake of “diplomacy.”

But even companies that aren’t directly based in Ukraine, Russia, or Belarus are feeling the effects of the war.

Most of the largest AAA games require hundreds of developers to actually finish every aspect of the game, well beyond the names attached to the studio that’s put on the box art. Some AAA studios attempt to limit how much outsourcing they use, while others fully embrace the process. Dutch studio Guerrilla Games, creators of Horizon Forbidden West, take the approach that “our core business is making games, not assets.” It’s a common sentiment, if not in statement then certainly in practice.

According to an anonymous source who previously worked on Halo Infinite, one of the stumbling blocks encountered by lead developer 343 Industries came in the form of its map development pipeline. The company was working with the Russian team at Sperasoft, a support studio that’s part of Keywords, which provides QA, art, and technical support across the entire gaming industry, including at places like Ubisoft.

Sperasoft provided assistance on Halo Infinite by “blocking out” different multiplayer maps, following the concept art given by 343 Industries, and using it to create a rough, unfinished draft of what the map would look and play like.

These maps would normally then be taken to another team to be “arted out,” meaning that they’d be given finished assets within the approved art direction. With Sperasoft’s Russian division now unable to provide this support, one of the basic elements of the map development pipeline was removed, leading to internal map delays as 343 Industries restructures parts of its pipeline.

We reached out to Microsoft on the matter, which declined to comment.

One major gaming and entertainment conglomerate is having to quietly relocate its Russian-based workers to Georgia, including marketing and legal teams, according to a source familiar with the matter. The source wished for the company not to be named for security reasons. A recent survey also indicated that almost half of Russia’s game developers are leaving the country, with even more stating they plan to leave in the future. It’s echoed by Oganesyan, who notes that many workers could choose to leave Ukraine even after the war ends.

“I think how the war ends and what level of safety the country is guaranteed in the future is going to be a major deciding factor for a lot of people when deciding if they will opt to continue their lives in Ukraine or not,” Oganesyan says.

Other teams have had to shift smaller projects due to the war. CD Projekt RED announced earlier in the year that its current-generation upgrade for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was being delayed, as work was being moved in-house and away from Saber Interactive. While Saber Interactive is headquartered in Florida, a large portion of the workforce is in Russia and Belarus. CD Projekt RED declined to comment on whether the move was related to the invasion but weeks before the change was announced, rumors first appeared on the Russian gaming website IXBT indicating that CD Projekt was pulling the port due to it being handled by the Russian branch of Saber Interactive.

The Quarry, a cinematic horror game developed primarily by Supermassive Games, was built in part with support from publisher 2K Games and its international teams. Director Will Byles explained to IGN that while the multiplayer portion of the game was practically done in time for the game’s launch on June 10, it had to be pushed back due to the war. The team working on the online portion of the game was located in Ukraine and had to relocate the game server to Warsaw, Poland.

Naturally, this isn’t the end of the world for support studios, with the complications induced being deemed a steady “trickle-down effect” even long after the war ends, according to a person familiar with some of the relocation that’s underway.

But what do things look like after the war ends? The country will be forever changed, something that will have a lasting effect on its people and what art they produce. Pain can beget pain, something that’s not easy to change.

“There is going to be generations of anger and hurt instilled in us all for this and that will likely come through in the games we’ll see coming out of Ukraine,” says Oganesyan. “Ukraine made so much hard-earned progress before the war but now it feels like we’ve been forced to reset on so many fronts.”

Things are harsh right now, and no one can predict the future. But the Ukrainians endure as Ukraine enters its fifth month of fighting against an invading superpower that claimed it would be through in a few days.

How can we help?

Ukrainians have put together a verified list of resources for anyone interested in helping. This includes general resources, medical aid for civilians, and donations specifically for minorities and other groups at increased risk of danger.

People can also donate directly to the Ukraine Armed Forces. A special account has been set up by the National Bank of Ukraine, and the number is UA843000010000000047330992708.

What you need to know

• Former Bungie director Paul Bertone has joined 343 Industries to work on Halo Infinite.
• Bertone has signed on as Technical Design Director. In this position, he will help bridge the gap between design and programming.
• Bertone originally worked on Bungie's five Halo games before leaving the studio in 2012, working with other developers like Undead Labs before returning to Halo in 2022.

Joseph Staten, Head of Creative for Halo Infinite, has announced that former Bungie director Paul Bertone has joined 343 Industries to work on the flagship Xbox shooter as Technical Design Director. In this position, Bertone will help to bridge the gap between the studio's design and programming teams, ensuring that developers are able to create content with their tools smoothly and without hindrances. 

"I’m happy to confirm veteran Paul Bertone has joined the team as Studio Technical Design Director," Staten wrote in a Tweet. "Paul and I met in 1999, back in Bungie’s Chicago days, and then shipped Halo 1-3, ODST and Reach together. I’m thrilled to have Paul help lead the future of Halo Infinite."

Bertone worked at Bungie from 2000 until 2012, helping the developer launch all five of its Halo games. He then left the company ahead of its transition from Halo to the (then) new IP, Destiny. In the years since, he has worked with several game studios over the years — including State of Decay and State of Decay 2 developer Undead Labs — before returning to Halo in 2022.

It's exciting to see a longtime veteran developer for Halo return, especially since his expertise has the potential to help 343 Industries create content for Halo Infinite on a more frequent basis. One of the biggest criticisms fans have levied against the game since its launch in late 2021 is that it has a significant lack of gameplay variety for players to enjoy; hopefully, with the help of Bertone's technical design experience, its developers can create new game modes and matchmaking playlists more efficiently moving forward.

Halo Infinite's multiplayer is free to play and is available on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One consoles, and Windows PCs. It's not without issues, but regardless, there's a lot of fun to be had in 343 Industries' latest title. It's definitely one of the best Xbox games available right now if you're looking for a new shooter to jump into, especially if you pick up the excellent campaign as well.

What you need to know

• 343 Industries has shared more details regarding how online campaign co-op in Halo Infinite will work. 
• Players who go through Halo Infinite's campaign in co-op together will retain any progress made. 
• Mission replay is also entering testing at the same time as campaign co-op.
• Halo Infinite network co-op campaign and mission replay flighting are now slated to begin the week of July 15.

Halo Infinite network campaign co-op is on the way, and ahead of flighting tests being opened for selected participants, developer 343 Industries has shared more on what players can expect. 

343 Industries explained that, like in classic Halo games, players in Halo Infinite's campaign co-op mode will be able to earn and retain any progress when players together. This means that two through four players can go through a portion of the campaign, or the entire thing, and everyone who plays will have their progress counted. 

While 343 Industries previously confirmed that campaign co-op flighting would begin in July, it's been further narrowed down to the week of July 15. Additionally, Mission Replay will be entering testing at the same time. While past Halo games were broken into traditional levels and allowed players go back replay any already-completed missions, Halo Infinite features an open-world design, making the exact parameters of a mission a bit harder to nail down. 

In addition to these two widely-requested features, new Achievements are coming to the game to reward any players who do go through co-op or Mission Replay. If you want to test these features ahead of their official launch, you'll need to make sure you're signed up for the Halo Insider program. Note that progress from this testing period will not carry over to the full game.

What you need to know

• Halo Infinite's single-player campaign first released on Dec. 8, 2021.
• The co-op campaign, a staple of the Halo franchise, was delayed to allow for more polish and testing. 
• Developer 343 Industries shared that co-op campaign testing is planning to begin flighting in July 2022 for Halo Insiders. 
• If you haven't registered yet, you can sign up to join the Halo Insiders program right now.

Halo Infinite's co-op campaign is getting a little closer, and some players may be able to play it starting very soon. 

Developer 343 Industries shared on Tuesday via Twitter that the Halo Infinite co-op campaign is planned to enter flighting tests in July 2022, specifically for online co-op. This means that people selected from the list of Halo Insiders will be able to test network co-op in Halo Infinite before the feature's wider launch. 

If you haven't signed up yet you can join the Halo Insider Program for a chance to be selected to try network co-op in July, as well as future tests for other features.

Back on April 22, 343 Industries shared a roadmap for Halo Infinite through the rest of 2022, indicating that the plan was for network co-op to arrive in August 2022. The next big feature being planned was Forge, which would skip the flighting tests and instead launch directly into open beta. Finally, split-screen co-op for Halo Infinite is currently planned to coincide with the launch of Halo Infinite Season 3 in November 2022.

343 Industries has previously indicated that the delay for co-op, including the extended wait for split-screen co-op, is due to needing to test the game's co-op and ensure it runs well across Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, and PC.

The ninth episode of the Halo TV series is here. With it, we get even more action as the UNSC sends in Silver Team in a desperate attempt to find Halo itself. Friendships are tested, blood is spilled, and Halsey is up to all her tricks.

It's a good episode to have as a finale, even as the plot (and multiple characters) take turns I wasn't expecting. Anyone who missed the combat scenes in the first and fifth episodes will be more than happy here, though there are some questions that remain.

With the arrival of this episode, the first season is concluded. Overall, it's been a solid show so far, with some excellent action scenes and interesting ideas. It's also been uneven however, with large ups and downs between different episodes. 

Note: This review contains spoilers for Halo Season 1, Episode 9, "Transcendence."

If you haven't read it yet, be sure to check out our review of Halo Season 1, Episode 8.

The episode opens with Master Chief slowly stumbling awake, as he and the rest of the base were rocked by the wave of energy set off by Makee touching the artifact in the prior episode. Tensions again flare as Vannak and Riz threaten John and Kai, with the situation only defused by the arrival of Captain Keyes. 

Keyes confirms that John is in fact telling the truth: The Spartans were kidnapped as children, with both Keyes and Halsey playing a part in abducting the children while replacing them with flash clones. Despite the residual tension, the second half of Silver Team accepts the truth and stands down, while Kai runs off to keep Halsey from escaping.

While John isn't able to stop Makee from stealing a Phantom and the artifact, Kai catches up with Halsey's ship, brutally killing Adun when he tries to stop her. Halsey is able to get to an escape pod, while Kai narrowly survives the ship crash-landing back on Reach.

I love this entire sequence. While we've seen Kai in action since she removed her suppression pellet, she was distracted and overwhelmed by the carnage the Covenant wrought. Here, she's emotional, but focused with rage and intent. The camera framing intensifies with just how angry and personal this is for her. 

In the fallout of this chaos, the UNSC is trying fruitlessly to figure out where Makee fled to, having tried to track a signal or find something in the Aspero system for weeks without avail. Citing the Covenant prophecy Makee shared, John and Cortana are able to figure out the rough location of Covenant planet in Aspero system.

As Silver Team loads up for the mission, we get a good moment between John and Captain Keyes. The latter, clearly growing at least somewhat mournful of the role he played in the creation of the Spartans, tries to half-apologize, while John simply promises that there will be a "reckoning" in the future.

Another good moment is in the re-forging of Silver Team. They've worked together a couple of times since the start of the series, but it's been fraught with betrayal, unease, confusion, and doubts of where loyalties truly lie. Vannak, Riz, and Kai all trade friendly barbs over their willingness to shoot one another, with Kai reluctantly admitting she'd have done it too, she'd have just felt bad. Things aren't fully healed, but they've been set back into the right place, at least for now.

Back on Reach, Halsey is captured, found oddly wandering in the woods. Miranda — ignoring her father's wish to talk — goes to confront her mother, telling her with a mixture of subdued anger and near-satisfaction that the UNSC has no choice left but to execute her after her latest stunt and attempted abduction of the artifact and Master Chief. It's sealed with eight words.

"I wanted you to hear it from me."

I've praised the acting of Olive Gray as Miranda before and I stand by it here. She carries the confidence yet lacks the experience of a talented junior officer, especially one with such complicated parents. 

On a holy Covenant planet, we see Makee prepare for a ritual in which she'll combine the two artifacts. Unknown to her, the Prophets are discussing her fate post-Great Journey, in which she'll be discarded and cast aside like other humans. While it shouldn't be too surprising that the Covenant is only using Makee because it needs her to interact with the artifacts, it's still painful, especially given the hard rejection she received from humanity in Episode 8.

Out in space, Silver Team's ship strains, pulled and pushed by powerful cosmic forces as they follow the path to the Covenant holy world. With Cortana's help, the team is able to (barely) make it through, gazing in wonder at the alien planet.

On Reach, Halsey mysteriously seizes up from some kind of injury, going into convulsions. Miranda and the rest of the UNSC are baffled, until Miranda recalls her mother's use of flash clones in fooling the parents of the abducted children into thinking their kids died of natural causes. Indeed, the real Halsey is already elsewhere, looking to make her way off-world. The depths of her conniving remain untapped, for now.

On the Covenant planet, the Spartans make a dynamic entry, jumping down onto the planet and quickly disposing of the Covenant guards. As they approach a rudimentary temple, Makee unites the two alien artifacts, beginning to chart a course to the Halo ring. 

Silver Team is spotted however, and we get perhaps the most extended fight scene in the show so far, as four Spartans carve their way through a veritable horde of Covenant warriors. Special mention must be given to how Master Chief takes on multiple hammer-wielding Brutes, taking a fair few hits but cutting them down all the same. The CGI work here isn't the best, but it sells the action at hand. 

With the arrival of the Brute that previously trounced John, the tide turns. Things go from bad to worse as Riz is critically wounded by a plasma grenade, while Makee touches the artifact, stunning John as the two of them are again seeing each other in a vision of Halo.

Attempting without success to snap John out of his vision, Kai reluctantly shoots Makee. It's something I have mixed feelings on. 

While Makee's death may end up serving as a strong motivation for John in the future, in the moment it feels like her story has been cut short. The connection the two of them shared doesn't yet feel complete, and it's hard for her story's ending to not feel abrupt at this point.

Even with John aware again, Silver Team is brutally overrun. Out of options, John tells Cortana to take over his body. Despite the AI's reluctance, he persists. It's here we finally see the odd pair truly on the same side, the start of their story at least somewhat resembling that of the games. 

"I may not be able to bring you back," she says. 

"I trust you," John says. 

As John's eyes close, his body wordlessly snaps into action, obliterating Covenant troops with ruthless efficiency. His (her?) second wind is cut short by the arrival of a UNSC gunship. Riz is narrowly saved as Master Chief cauterizes her extensive wounds without a word.

With the season closing, we're left with a few questions. Is John truly gone for good? Unlikely. Is he aware of what's happening now? When will we actually get to Halo? 

The series hasn't been perfect so far, and there's plenty of places it can improve. But I'm looking forward to getting some answers in Halo Season 2. 

Halo Season 1, Episode 9 is available now, exclusively on Paramount+. For a better experience, watch it on one of the best 4K TVs available.

In the eighth episode of the Halo TV series, the tension across the main cast finally stops building. Instead, we get an explosion as sides are chosen and passions inflamed. It's not exactly where I thought the show was headed, but it works well enough, and I'm more invested than ever in this interpretation of Master Chief.

That said, there are a couple of shortcomings given just how little of the show we have left for now. With only one more episode to go from here, there's still a lot that this series will have to juggle going into the finale. As long as things stay focused on Master Chief and the rest of the characters currently on Reach, I'm excited to see where it stops for this season.

Note: This review contains spoilers for Halo Season 1, Episode 8, "Allegiance."

If you haven't checked it out yet, be sure to read our review of Halo Season 1, Episode 7.

The episode surprisingly doesn't open with a flashback. Instead, we get Master Chief drawing circles in the steam of his bathroom mirror, seemingly entranced by the vision of the Halo ring in Episode 6. Makee is similarly absentminded, and the two take a walk through the grounds of Reach, seemingly to the frustration of the UNSC personnel around them.

We get to see a neat framing, as various pairs of individuals discuss the strange blossoming friendship between John and Makee. Captain Keyes notes that John has changed, to Parangosky's frustration, while Halsey finds John's burgeoning connection with the woman fascinating.

As John pushes Makee for answers about Halo, the woman finally shares why the Covenant is searching for it. She recites a prophecy that divine wind will rush through and take believers on a path to becoming god-like. It's a cool moment for fans of the games, as it's essentially a paraphrased version of what the Prophets directly say in Halo 2.

The differences between the three non-Master Chief members of Silver Team are amusingly highlighted as Vannak and Riz run tests on a captured Covenant Phantom. While Vannak brusquely asks what Kai's status is, Riz carefully tries to play it off.

Smash cut to Kai, who is currently showing off by pulling on a cord, lifting first an engine block and then a Warthog, to the enthusiasm of a gaggle of gambling Marines around her.

I have to say, Kai has really grown on me. I wasn't sure about how well the presentation of another Spartan besides Master Chief experiencing emotions and feelings would go, but her wide-eyed naivete is played well by Kate Kennedy. She has a refreshingly optimistic, happy, near-overwhelming vibe, and I hope she continues to shine in the future of the show.

We get another cute moment between Miranda Keyes and her father. Miranda is trying without success to clean up and translate the intercepted Sangheili language fragments from earlier in the season. Even as her father assures her she'll get it, she ominously notes that it's almost as if there are different pitches being used.

John again checks in on Makee, dismissing her guard and delivering her a book, recalling that earlier in the episode, she told him about how a childhood friend would read to her. After a few moments of tension, Makee kisses him. The two remove their shirts, inspecting each other's scars ...

Oh, yeah, they have sex.

Of course, Cortana secretly watches them the entire time. This is a good time to recall that Cortana, as a smart AI, was created by using a clone of Halsey. In turn, let us recall that Halsey, having abducted the children for the Spartan program in the first place, is something of a mother figure to all of them, including John. Frankly, there are more layers to this whole thing than a celebrity's wedding cake. Freud is spinning so fast in his grave he's likely to open a wormhole.

All right, I can hear the cries of confusion already. "Master Chief having sex?" It took me off guard. It's more than a little funny. "Master Chief? You mind telling me what you're doing with that woman?" "Sir, finishing this fight."

But the reality is, it kind of makes sense. I think the implementation here is a little messy, but these two have been through a fair bit of trauma. Both are trying to understand what it means to be human. This isn't the stoic warrior of the games anymore. He's a different version of Master Chief, with (at least right now) a different struggle. I haven't talked about differences between the games and show a lot, but I think it warranted a mention here.

Makee also agrees to help John with understanding the artifacts under UNSC supervision, even secretly removing the plasma knife embedded in her finger.

As Cortana relays her findings to Halsey, the latter only piles on the subtext by insisting that John was never alone; he had her. Halsey is then informed by Captain Keyes that she's being removed from Reach ASAP and to quickly pack anything important. Ever the schemer, Halsey makes her play, using a hacked device created by her assistant Adun. Ignoring Keyes' warnings that her ambition has cost her every relationship she has, Halsey quickly hacks into Makee's room, telling the woman to not trust the UNSC and instead abscond with her.

As Makee understandably panics, Halsey uses Cortana to shut down communication across the base, telling Kai, Riz, and Vannak to report only to her and grab Master Chief as she prepares her ship to escape. When Kai questions these orders, she's quickly knocked out and handcuffed to a stone seat by Riz and Vannak.

Miranda, meanwhile, has made some progress with her decryptions, isolating one particular voice. A woman's voice. With horrific realization, she sprints away to warn Parangosky and her father. Cortana, clearly feeling conflicted about what's about to happen, warns Master Chief of his impending abduction. Kai breaks free from the stone seat in a limber display of strength, smashing through it with her armored boots.

Heeding Cortana's warning, Master Chief engages Vannak and Riz. Being unarmored, he's at a significant disadvantage, even with Cortana's assistance. Kai joins the fray, and as multiple members of Silver Team get their hands on Magnum pistols, it becomes a dangerous standoff.

I have to say that I loved this fight scene. The weight of the Spartans can be felt as they smash, grapple, and slam into each other. It's brutal but coordinated.

Less enjoyable is how Miranda bursts in on Makee and the assembled UNSC. When Miranda explains that it was Makee who led the slaughter of the crew on the stranded cruiser, Makee begs for forgiveness but is brutally shocked. It's frustrating and heartbreaking, watching any chance of happiness or steps along the path to recovery being brutally snatched away. Whatever connection she's made with humanity is burned out in these moments.

As Makee desperately grabs the alien artifact, a pulse of power ripples across the base, ending the stalemate and knocking the Spartans unconscious.

With only one episode left, I'm thrilled to see where the story is going, especially for Silver Team. Unfortunately, I'm also convinced we won't physically see the Halo ring this season, meaning I'm not quite sure where the show wants to hang its audience until we get to the officially confirmed Season 2.

Halo Season 1, Episode 8 is available now, exclusively on Paramount+. For a better experience, watch it on one of the best 4K TVs available.